Family love problems
by Rae1
Summary: Complete. Yaoi/Yuri. Slash. Jun/Dais-centric. When the ones they lwant are in love with others, what can they do? Junora, and odd-coupling with Dai. Slight Taito/Kenyako/Takari.
1. A sister sized pain in the....

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

Author's note: This is a Jun and Daisuke-centric ficcie. I like them both, so don't expect me to bash them. Everyone is pretty much OOC, and I like it that way. General angst, and odd-couples warning. And, no, this isn't a YamaJun.  And the _italics_ symbolize the journal entries of both Jun and Dais, but they're not marked. If you can't figure it out, don't worry. It's really not anything too important.

Author: Rae

Title: Family love problems

Warning: Angst, sap, lack of sibling rivalry, and a GOOD Jun. Shounen-ai and shoujo-ai abound. Deal or leave

__________

_I always thought that sisters were such a drag. I mean, what other kind of person on the face of the planet caused a brother so much trouble? Not my friends, that's for sure. _

_On the other hand, I never realized quite how many problems were involved in being an older sibling. There is such a difference in those two or three years. It's amazing. I wish that I had seen it sooner._

________

Daisuke glared at his sister. She looked down her nose at him, her smile condescending and smug. "What do I have to do?"

She loosened her grip on his journal just slightly, but not enough for him to make a grab for it. "I think that you should beg for my mercy, and promise me anything in return for this."

"And if I don't?" He tried to bluff her out, but the look in her eyes sent a sense of dread through him.

"If you don't, then I let all of your little friends know exactly what's in here." He ground his teeth together, and then sighed in defeat, his eyes growing darker with the weight of his next words.

"Please, Jun. Have mercy on me. I will do whatever you want me to do." He grimaced, clenching his fists at the satisfied grin that spread across her face.

"I want you to find me a way backstage at Matt's next concert. And I want you to let me help you with the Ken thing."

His fingers were curled so tightly into his palm, he could feel his nails cutting into his skin. With barely concealed anger, he agreed. "Fine."

She eyed him for a moment more, and then handed him the notebook back. "Thank you, little brother." With a smirk, she twirled into her room and shut the door. The redhead stomped his foot in frustration, and then stormed into his own room.

Jun looked around her room, her features falling into a blank expression. With a sigh, she sat on her bed, and rubbed at her temples, fighting with a migraine. Her brown eyes scanned a poster of a wet cat, and the caption over it: 'some days, it just doesn't pay to get out of bed'.

"I know what you mean, kitty." She rubbed the back of her head, then reached for the pill bottle on the nightstand beside her bed. She twisted the top off, shook out two of the pills, and swallowed them dry.

With another sigh, she fell back into the mattress, waiting for the pills to take effect. They were extra strength, but still took half an hour to work. In the meantime, she closed her eyes, and concentrated on blocking out the blinking spots on the back of her eyelids.

Her hand flicked out, flailing in the general direction of the radio. When she felt the cold plastic, she moved her fingers until they found the familiar 'play' button, and tapped it, letting the music flood the room. Her lips curled as Matt's voice flooded her room, taking her away from her day with his words, while touching something inside her at the same time.

His voice seemed to detail her life and her feelings somehow. It had been that connection with his lyrics that had begun her 'obsession' with him. She still didn't know how someone who felt exactly as she did could miss the connection they had. 

"If I just had the opportunity, I could really talk to him, and let him know that I understand everything that he feels." The pounding in her head was beginning to fade when someone knocked on the door. "One moment!"

She sat up slowly, glad that they didn't knock again. She looked at her vanity mirror, placed over her dresser, and frowned at the tired look in her eyes. Pasting a fake smile on her face, she drew on a pair of sunglasses, and threw a hat on top, and flung the door open. 

"What do you want, squirt?" She eyed her brother warily, not wanting to deal with him, of all people. Their parents didn't care enough to make an actual effort, but she knew that Dai listened to her, most often when she didn't really want him to listen.

"You said that you could help me with Ken?" He seemed reluctant to ask, and she could feel the genuine smile moving to take over her face.

"Yeah, I can." She held her door open wider, flicking on the light as she did. "What do you want to know?"

He entered slowly, still not entirely convinced that he was doing the best thing. "What makes you think that he could like me?"

She frowned slightly, shutting the door with her back to him. By the time she turned around, the frown was gone, replaced by a thoughtful look. "He's your best friend, Dai. He knows everything there is to know about you, and still hangs around. If that isn't love, I don't know what is."

He opened his mouth, frowned, and then shut it again.

"Listen. If you really want to win him over, you have to let him know that you're interested. Then you have to woo him. Treat him to a dinner, make sure that Mom stocks his favorite desserts. Treat him like royalty, and be sure that you don't flirt with anybody else."

One tanned hand reached up to rub the back of his neck in a familiar gesture of uncertainty. "And if he still doesn't catch on?"

"Then take it up a notch. Come straight out and tell him that you're in love with him. Kiss him."

"What if he likes someone else?" She closed her eyes briefly at that, remembering back two years when Matt had started dating Sora. It had broken her heart, but she had hid that behind her flirtation with the middle Kido boy, Shin.

"Then he's not good enough for you, and you should move on. If he's not the one for you, you'll realize it eventually, and be able to find the person that is perfect for you, that can understand you better than you understand yourself."

He nodded, his eyes focused on the wall as he thought over what she had said. "I have to woo him. Treat him like royalty." He looked up. "Does that mean that I have to open doors for him?"

"Yes. As well as letting him choose what the two of you do together, and giving him the right to win arguments."

"I have to let him win?" His expression was scandalous as he looked at her, and she grinned.

"Yes. If you don't, then it will be an unending power struggle." He sighed, slumping down slightly. "It sounds hard, Dai, but it really isn't that bad."

"So says you." With a disgruntled look, he walked to the door and opened it, but paused on the threshold. He looked like he wanted to say something important, but settled on a quiet, "You shouldn't wear sunglasses without the light on. You'll hurt your eyes."

He shut the door behind him, leaving her to lean against the wall, cursing the return of her migraine and the tears that threatened.

__________

_On the other side of the equation, as Ken would say, little brothers have it pretty bad as well. We are constantly put down, if you have an older sister especially, and you can never win. Either your older siblings are bigger than you, or you're suddenly to big to be fighting with them. It's a lose-lose situation._

It's really not fair. You go through years of being oppressed by age and size, then find out that when you're big enough to do it back, it's not allowed. 

_Older sisters have it too good. Right?_

__________

Daisuke sat in class, and stared at the back of the teacher's head as he droned on and on about completing the square, and intercepting lines. Behind him, he could hear Miyako and Hikari discussing clothes, and boys, and dating. He tuned it out, not wanting to hear about all the girly things they did. 

"Dai." Someone whispered in his ear, and he fixed Takeru with a blank look. "Are you coming to the movies with us this weekend?" The blonde obviously meant the rest of the digidestined. Without a though, the redhead shrugged. "Good. Make sure that Ken comes, too, would you? He's missed out on the last couple of things."

So had Daisuke, but nobody had mentioned anything to him. He could fall off the face of the planet, and none of them would care. He turned his attention back to the front, listening with half an ear as the blonde joined the discussion between Kari and Miya. They had moved on to which movie they wanted to see, arguing between the three of them. 

With a grim satisfaction, he realized that they were making plans without considering Ken or Iori's choices either. At least he wasn't the only one left out of their conversations. Not that he really wanted to have his own input, but it was always nice to be asked.

He'd have to check with Ken, and then make sure that they knew what the genius wanted to see. That would be like what Jun had told him, making sure that Ken's voice was heard, even if he wasn't there.

He smiled, thinking of his best friend. It was nice, being friends with a prodigy, especially one as nice and beautiful as Ken. His eyes closed, picturing long blue strands of hair, violet eyes, and pale, white skin. So lost was he in his imagery, that he missed the homework assignment, and the last twenty minutes of class.

Dai stood up when the rest of the students did, and filed out of class, his mind jumping ahead to when school was over, and he could see Ken again. In his distraction, he ran into a smaller student and knocked him over, spilling two sets of notebooks and texts across the hallway floor. "Sorry, Iori."

He dropped to his knees, and grinned at the brunette apologetically. Green eyes glanced at him wearily, flicking away quickly to look for his scattered belongings. "Good morning, Daisuke. I can tell that you're alert and on top of things, as always."

His sarcasm wasn't lost on the redhead, but Dai simply grinned. He knew that most of Iori's gruff exterior was to hide a soft heart. He was good with snappy replies and comebacks, but most of his insults lacked the heat and sincerity behind it. Unlike Miyako, who made every blow count, or Jun, who had a tendency to hit outside the bounds of normal decency. Even Kari, who he had once thought of as so innocent, was good at slipping in little barbs.

"Not all of us can wake up as cheerful and sunny as you, I guess." He smiled when green eyes met his again, their depths amused as the brunette bit his lip to keep from smiling. "How are you today?"

"I was better before I was ran over." They picked up the last of their things and stood up. "At least I'm still alive. Last time you mauled me, I thought for sure that something was going to be broken."

Daisuke laughed. "If I didn't run over you at least once a week, you'd forget that I existed."

Iori nodded in agreement. "If not once a week, at least before the most recent bruise fades." They moved in separate directions down the hall, Daisuke bounding happily past people, scanning the path in front of him carefully to avoid knocking anyone else down.

________

_It is the job of the younger brother to make sure that any older siblings not be allowed more than three days of peace. That means that they have seventy-two hours with which to snoop in their sister's stuff, or make their lives miserable in a new and inventive way._

_I'm a pro at the second. I've had years of experience, and Jun can testify that I can make her miserable with my very existence. On second thought, maybe that isn't something to be proud of._

_________

Jun moved down the hallway, ignoring the chatter of her fellow students. School was over, and she was going to talk to Matt about his latest song. The words had made a real impression on her, and she wanted to let him know that they were still on the same wavelength. 

With a slight frown, she ducked into the bathroom quickly, delaying her talk with Yamato to take two pills to kill the beat rampaging through her brain. She hid in one of the stalls as two other students walked in, not wanting to explain the tears that had sprung in her eyes during the peak of the migraine a few seconds before.

After ten minutes, they finished reapplying their make-up, and touching up their hair, and left. She stepped out of the stall, and stopped in surprise when Sora looked up from the sink.

"Hi." The brunette smiled slightly, her eyes dark. Jun had the same red hair as her brother, but the color of her eyes was more of a honey brown.

"Hello, Sora." They smiled at each other uncertainly, the past running through both of their minds, recalling Jun's distance from the other girl when Sora had dated Matt.

"How are you doing? I didn't think anyone else was in here." She pushed her hair behind her ear, and smiled.

"I'm fine. I had a little headache, and hid in here until it cleared up." She moved to wash her hands, pretending that everything was normal, hoping that the other girl wouldn't mention her puffy eyes, or the bags under them.

"Would you like to try some of my medicine? It's supposed to be extra strong." 

"No thanks. I already took some." She dried her hands in an awkward silence, then made her way to the door. "I'll see you later, Sora."

"Bye, Jun." She left, pushing the door open quickly to escape the concern she had heard in Sora's voice. With a squaring of her shoulders, she started toward the music room, where Matt would be rehearsing with his band, or practicing his guitar.

With a smile, she heard silence, and assumed that he was alone, either tuning his guitar, or setting up to play. She leaned around the corner, ready with a flippant greeting. The sight that greeted her eyes caused her heart to stop, and her head to start pounding in overtime. She stifled a gasp, and backed away quickly, holding her hands to her chest as the tears fell. She turned and ran, past Sora, who was coming out of the bathroom, down the hall, and out into the sunshine. Her breathing was shallow, and her head was starting to feel light.

She curled her fingers into her hair, trying to stop the pain that seemed to come from everywhere: her heart, her chest, her head, her lungs. It was a giant mass of pain, trying to escape from any source possible. It wasn't possible that her Matt, her soulmate, had been kissing another person.

She glared down at the cracks in the sidewalk, seeing each small pebble that broke off with eerie clarity. 

It wasn't fair that the love of her life had been kissing his best friend.


	2. A hole in the heart, a hole in the chest

_Of course, if older siblings have it so great, then they shouldn't ever feel sad, or worried, or disappointed. But they do. They old expectations for their younger brothers, even if they don't always say they do._

_I know that Jun expects a lot from me, despite the fact that she's always teasing me, and knocking me down. It's just her way of showing affection._

_________

When most of her tears were spent, she picked herself off of the grass where she had fallen to her knees. No one had come from the school, and she was dimly aware of relief at the thought that she wouldn't have to explain. There was no way that she could speak the words that had lodged themselves inside of her head.

Tai and Matt. Her Matt, her soul mate. The only person in the world who had been able to put her thoughts and feelings and spirit into words. It wasn't possible, and yet she couldn't pretend that she hadn't seen it, she couldn't deny that she'd witnessed it in the band room. As much as it nauseated her to think of it, the blonde had been lip locked with another guy, and there was nothing she could do to erase the memory.

With slow steps, she made her way to the parking lot, and leaned heavily against her car. She didn't want to go home. She couldn't talk to her mother, because she doubted that her mother would do more than tell her to get over it. Her father was even worse. The only one that would care would be Dai, and he probably already knew.

That hurt. To think that her brother had kept such a secret from her was painful. Thoughts of betrayal flashed through her head, and then the image of her brother the night before, when he had warned her about wearing sunglasses in the dark.

He wouldn't hurt her. Not her little brother. They might not always get along, but he would never hurt her. Of all the people in the world, she could worry about him the least.

She slipped behind the wheel, then reached into her jacket pocket, and pulled out her pill bottle. Without conscious thought, she took out two pills and swallowed them; searching with her hand for the water bottle she normally kept under the seat.

By the time she finally pulled away from the school, it was after four, and school had been over for longer than an hour. Her parents wouldn't be home from work, and Daisuke would probably be at Ken's. That meant that she could make it into the house without having to talk to anybody, and be able to fix her makeup so that her crying jag didn't show.

The drive home was quick, and silent. She didn't turn the radio on for fear of hearing one of *his* songs. It wouldn't do to think of him when she was trying to drive. 

She walked to the apartment, and took her key out. The door opened before she could touch the knob, and brown eyes stared at her. "You're late."

"Yeah, I know, squirt. I had things to do." She walked past him, careful to keep her voice snide. Normally, if she was mean, he'd lose interest and leave her alone.

"Jun." The way he said her name caused her to pause in midstep. "I'm always here."

She turned and smiled at him gently. "I know, squirt. I know. Everything's okay. I think I'm coming down with something."

After a moment's hesitation, he nodded. "Why don't you go lie down? I'll make you some soup, and you can nap. I'll even make you tea."

"I'd appreciate that, Dai, but I'm just going to go straight to bed."

"If you're sure." She ruffled his hair as she passed by, thankful that he looked away as the tears began to form in her eyes. She managed to make it to her room and shut the door before they escaped. She threw her jacket and bag carelessly on her floor, and then flung herself across the bed, muffling her cries her pillow.

___________

_The most obvious downfall to being the oldest child is the feeling that you must be in control. You can't let your guard down, and cry on your little brother's shoulder. That would be putting too much pressure on him, and that's not what he's for._

_Little brother's are created to make their sisters proud, and happy, and make them aunts. They give their siblings more stress and more worries, and ask them to come up with all kinds of answers to the questions that no one answered for them._

___________

Daisuke glanced up at the apartment building him front of him, and grinned with excitement. He loved visiting Ken. The genius had all of the coolest games, and his mother always had fresh cookies, and his dad could tell some really good jokes.

He envied his friend his family. Not that he didn't like Jun, or love her, but his sister was something else all together. 

Thinking about his sister, he frowned as he waited for the elevator to reach ground level. He didn't believe her story about being sick for a second, but they had an unspoken agreement that he wasn't allowed to push it when she lied. 

He hopped into the elevator, and pushed the button for Ken's floor. If Jun didn't want to share her problems with him, then that was her problem. He had enough to worry about as it was, he didn't need her angst as well.

The frown deepened as he realized how selfish he sounded. His sister would walk to the ends of the earth for him, and he wouldn't even push one issue. Some little brother he was. He doubted that Ken would have let Osamu get away with something like that.

A little bell sounded his floor, and the doors opened. He made his way briskly to the Ichijouji door, and paused outside of it when he realized that it was ajar. Without meaning to, he leaned against the wall, out of sight of the hallway.

"Hello, Miyako, dear." He recognized Mrs. Ichijouji's welcoming voice, and wondered what Miya was doing there, and why it sounded as if it wasn't her first visit.

"Hello, Mrs. Ichijouji." That was her polite, 'suck up' tone that she used with teachers and her mother. "Is Ken almost ready?"

Ready for what? Daisuke could feel his palms grow sweaty and his head lighten as he waited. Deep inside, with no more clues than that, he knew. Gods knew that they hadn't hidden it from him, but he hadn't wanted to know.

He stepped into the doorway with a grin. "Hi!" Mrs. Ichijouji smiled at him as Ken stepped into the hallway. "Hey, Ken!"

He greeted his friend before Miya could, and watched as a guarded look entered his violet eyes. "Hello, Daisuke. Good afternoon, Miyako."

They weren't official yet. He could tell by the hesitancy in both their expressions. Either that, or they were uncertain of how to react around him. "Ken, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a minute?"

He had to swallow pass the thickness in his throat, and he caught the look of resignation. "Of course, Dai. Excuse us, ladies."

Daisuke led him back into the hallway, and looked away as he shut the door. There was silence for a moment, and then brown eyes met violet. 

"Dai?" Ken's voice was hesitant, apologetic. The genius knew what was coming, or thought he did. Daisuke stepped forward, wrapped his hands around Ken's face, and kissed him soundly. Ken was too surprised to pull away before Daisuke did.

"She will never be half as good to you." The redhead clenched his fist as the words made their way past his lips. 

"Dai." The blue-haired teen sighed. "Listen-"

"No! You listen. I love you, Ken. I would do anything for you. Give me a chance, and I can show you. Give me time."

"Daisuke." He winced, hating the sound of his name in that pitying tone. "You're my best friend in the world. I would do nearly anything for you, but don't ask me for that."

"Why? Our hearts beat as one, remember? We are two halves of the same whole, and no one will ever love you half as much as I do." He crossed his arms and rubbed them, warding off the chill that had invaded his body. "I could show you, Ken. We could be happy together."

His voice cracked, and a single tear slipped down his face, blurring the look of misery on Ken's face. "I love you, Daisuke. I always will, but never like that."

Daisuke felt desperate. He could feel the world slipping out from under his feet, and he hated the feeling. It wasn't supposed to go like this. He and Ken were perfect for each other, two opposites that complemented each other.

"Daisuke, please." The redhead turned away. "Please find a way to be happy for me. I love her, Dai. With all of my heart, and I can't give that up. Find a way to forgive me for that."

He wiped at his eyes, and then glared at his best friend. The feeling in his chest, the same one that he had sworn ten minutes ago was love, burned. The fire seemed to sweep out, and all he could think about was striking out and hurting the one that had hurt him.

He opened his mouth to do just that, but the door opened. "Guys?"

Miyako shut the door behind her, glancing curiously from one to the other. Daisuke glared at her, then at Ken. "Have fun on your date."

With those parting words, he turned and ran, shoving through the door of the stairwell, ignoring Ken's shout for him to come back. He felt sick, and wondered briefly if Jun's illness was similar to his own. Heart sore, not ill.

___________

_I think that the world is hard in general, but sister's act as buffer systems. They go through all the pain and misery, and then do everything within their power to keep you from feeling the same way. They push you to keep from making the same mistakes they did._

_But they forget that their brother's learn best by example. It's not enough to tell him to do something, you have to tell him why, and what happens if you don't. Even then, the chances of being hurt are high. _

_That's life._

___________ 

_Sisters are the strong ones, because they have to be. I'm sure they'd all love a chance to breakdown, but it's not allowed. They have to be strong so that they can guide their brothers. If she didn't, then I'd be lost. _

_She has to be in control, or else I'm doomed. If she can't fix my problems, how can I?_

________

Jun lay curled on her side, her arms hugging a small pillow tightly to her chest, her mouth pressed against it. Her radio was playing loudly to cover the sound of her occasional sobs.

Her mother had been in to check on her once, and then had left her alone to the depressing music on the stereo and her room lit dimly by her small lamp. It was a bitter satisfaction that she felt at being right about her mother's reaction. The woman had barely bothered to see if she was all right, she hadn't asked if something else were wrong.

There was a knock on the door, and she pulled the blanket up over her head, trying to block out the sound. She didn't want talk to anyone. They wouldn't understand.

"Jun?" She threw aside the blanket at the raw sound of Daisuke's voice. The door opened as she sat up, and she could see the tears on his face. With a sob, he flew across the room and into her arms, crying heavily. The door was partially open, but the radio would cover any sound they made.

"Dai? Baby, talk to me." She rubbed his back, smoothed his hair, and cradled him as best she could. He was already her height and size. Any bigger, and he'd be almost too big to be held.

"Oh, gods, Jun. It was awful. Miya and Ken...and then he said that he couldn't, not that way... and they're dating, and he won't ever love me...we were meant to be, but she's in the way."

"Shh, Dai. Just breathe, squirt. Just breathe." Her arms tightened about him as her own tears slid down her face. "It's going to be okay, Dai." His tears didn't slow, and his shoulders continued to shake as she, too, began to sob. Soon, they were clinging to each other desperately, trying to salvage the last of their strength to stem their tears.

"What am I going to do, Jun? All my friends are his friends. We all hang out, and now they'll be holding hands, and kissing, and stuff. I can't handle that. I don't think that I can watch that."

"You'll make new friends, Dai. You'll move on, and get over him eventually. The pain will continue for a while, but you'll find someone else."

He pulled back, rubbing at his tearstained cheeks roughly. "I don't want to get over him! I want him to love me back!"

She wiped at her own face, and glared at his obstinate expression. "Suffer, Dai. He's with her, and there is nothing that you can do about it. He will never love you, and you have to accept that." Her voice rose shrilly, and she winced when she realized what she had said. "Dai, I'm so sorry."

He stared at her, and then slowly sat down on the bed beside her. "What did he do, Jun?" She looked away, knowing what he meant.

"Don't worry about, squirt. I can handle it." She stood up stiffly, and crossed to her desk. With shaking hands, she took two pills from the bottle behind one of her speakers, and then looked around for something to drink them down with. Her throat was too dry and raw from crying.

"Handle it like you're handling it now, you mean?" He forgot his own troubles, pushed them aside mentally as he fixated on hers. "What happened?"

She sighed, and then turned to look at him. "He's seeing someone else."

"Not Sora again?" He couldn't think of anyone else that Matt hung out with a lot, except Tai.

She smirked cruelly. "Nice try, Dai, but Matt's off the same orientation that you are. He was making out with your idol Yagami today after school."

The corners of her mouth turned down, and she turned away again. "I'm sorry, Jun."

"It looks like we both have problems where boys are concerned.  Maybe we should both switch to girls. We'd probably have better luck."

"It couldn't hurt." He sighed, knowing by the set of her shoulders that she was done talking about it. "I think that I'll go to bed early."

They both glanced at the digital clock, the numbers staring at them in red lines: 8:57.

"I think I will, too. Night, squirt." 

"Night, Jun." He left quietly, shutting the door as he went. He could hear the sound of the television in the living room, and the low hum of conversation from his parents. 

He shut the door to his room without turning on the lights, then crossed to his stereo and flipped it on. The music blared out, cutting out the sound of Jun's, and the noise from the living room. He crawled into his bed without changing his clothes.

His last thought before he slept was that he'd never be able to kiss Ken again.

__________

_I think that siblings should split the responsibility of holding everything inside. They should alternate weeks so that each one got a chance to rest. The only problem is that life doesn't exist on a schedule, and someone would eventually get too bogged down._

_Maybe that's why siblings were created, to share the burden of growing up with each other. That way, neither one of them has to bare it completely alone._

__________

The next morning, Jun and Daisuke rode to school together, something out of the ordinary since Daisuke normally jogged. They walked through the front doors wearing the identical green jackets, their similarity in height more pronounced than usual. When Jun headed for her homeroom, Daisuke turned back down the hall and entered a room he didn't have class in. 

Only a few other students were there, but the people he wanted to talk to were in a back corner by themselves. The teacher didn't notice when he slipped in and sat down beside them.

"Taichi. Yamato." They turned and stared at him in concern as he spoke their full names. The brunette raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak, but Daisuke cut him off. "I would just like the both of you to know that as of yesterday afternoon, until the time when Jun's heart is healed, I disown you as friends."

"What?" Cool blue eyes regarded him suspiciously, and he glared back. 

"You heard me. I have nothing against the two of you dating, but you could have gone about this whole thing in a better way. You broke my sister's heart, and didn't have the common decency to give her some warning. I know that you don't care how she feels, but she cared about you a lot, Matt, and you abused that."

"She stalked him." Tai pointed out, getting defensive. "And it's none of her business."

Daisuke simply looked at him. "She cared, and that made it her business. She thought that you two connected. She didn't realize that you were too busy to connect with someone else. You could have lessened her pain by coming clean."

"Since when did you become the expert?" Matt's eyes were ice cold, and Daisuke shrugged off the chill.

"I became the expert when I found out that the love of my life was dating Miya, and neither of them had the balls to tell me. It hurts, but it wouldn't have hurt so badly if they'd told me before. Just like walking in on the two of you kissing was the wrong way for Jun to find out."

"Daisuke, I'm sorry, but I'm not about to drop Tai for your sister."

"I'm not asking you to. I'm not even asking you to apologize. I'm just telling you that you two are on my hate list until she stops hurting enough to find someone else."

With that parting shot, he stood up, and made his way toward his own classroom. Partway there, he saw Hikari and Miyako talking in the hallway. He turned, and ducked down another corridor to avoid them. If he was late for class, it would be a detention but it would be worth it. He didn't want to face the violet-haired girl.

He leaned against a wall and closed his eyes with a sigh. The tears were causing pressure in the back of his eyes, and it was starting to give him a headache from crying so much. He pushed away quickly, and made for the nearest bathroom, his body trembling.

He slammed into the nearest stall and collapsed next to the toilet. He rested his arms on the seat as he cried. It was luck that kept anyone from finding him, and fate that he happened to be no more than ten feet from where his sister was sobbing in the girls' bathroom.


	3. Leave out the unimportant

__

Friends are overrated. Sisters are just that much cooler. They make their little barbs, but they love you no matter what. They don't hold the important mistakes against you, and drag them up each and every time there's a fight.

They argue with you about the stupid things, because they know that it hurts less. Their purpose in life is to help their little brother's and they understand this duty perfectly.

Sometimes.

________

"And then we can go to the mall and play games at the arcade." Daisuke tuned Takeru out as the blonde made plans with Hikari and Miyako. Some things never changed. He wondered what Ken had told his little girlfriend, and then decided that he didn't want to know what they did when they were together.

"What do you think, Dai?" It was Kari asking the question, but he didn't bother to guard the scorn in his expression. 

"I think that the five of you can do whatever the hell you want. Just keep me out of it." He turned back around, ignoring their outraged gasps, and the shock on their faces. He snickered quietly. It would suit them right if he finally snapped. 

It didn't matter, anyway. They would have just as much fun without him as they had with him. They didn't need him for anything, except a good laugh occasionally, at his expense.

"Dai?" Takeru again. The blonde was a persistent one, and one that wasn't likely to give up on his friends. The teacher was writing on the board, completely oblivious to the chaos in the classroom. Daisuke turned to face his friend.

"When your brother apologizes to my sister, or she finds her way over his sorry hide, I may let up a little. As of right now, I want nothing to do with any of you. Omission is as bad as any lie, and you're all guilty of it. You complain because I'm loud and obnoxious, but at least I don't keep things from you guys."

"Bullshit, Dai. That's a double standard." He glared at Miyako, unsurprised when she glared back. "You never bothered to tell any of us that you had the hots for Ken."

"Maybe if you ever bothered to listen to me, I would have." They stared at him, and he frowned at them, his eyes dark. "Yes, I have a thing for Ken. He's my best friend, and that's all he will ever be. But he knew how I felt, and he did nothing to stop me from falling for him."

Takeru and Hikari were looking down at their books, trying to avoid the intensity of his gaze.

"And as for you two. It's been obvious forever that you two would end up together. Save us all the misery of waiting, and get married now. You can have a double with Miya and Ken."

"We're sorry, Dai." Kari put a hand on his arm, but he jerked it back. "We just didn't want you and Iori to feel left out."

"But we are. The three of you always make plans, and then invite us along. For as long as I can remember, you guys have left us out. What else is new?"

"Why didn't you say anything, Dai? We're supposed to be your friends." Takeru again, his eyes righteous.

"Because you guys only hear what you want to hear. Why do you think I normally skip out on all of your activities? I can't stand being on the fringe, watching as the three of you bond. Now you've even taken away the one person that stood there with me. What do you need me for?" There was pause, and then he smiled sadly. "Nothing. You guys don't need me."

The bell rang, and he picked his books up in his arms and escaped quickly into the throng of students in the hallway. He turned a corner sharply, and grunted when he was knocked down.

"Are you okay?" Green eyes peered down at him worriedly, and he lay down dramatically.

"I don't think that I can move." Iori smiled slightly, then shifted his books into one arm and held out his hand. The redhead took it, and allowed the shorter teen to pull him to his feet. "I'm amazed. You knocked me down for once."

He elicited a slight chuckle, before Iori scanned his face. "Are you okay?"

"Never been better." His cheer was forced, and they both knew it. "Actually, I've had better days. How are you?"

"Still standing, but I'm not certain that that's a good thing. Normally, the days that you knock me off my feet are the days that end good."

"Really? Maybe we should try that again." They smiled at each other, and then Daisuke ran a hand through his hair in a nervous manner. "We better get to class."

"Yeah. I'll see you at lunch, Dai." Iori waved at him as they went their separate ways, and the redhead didn't bother to tell him that he wouldn't be at the normal table. He didn't feel like sitting at a table full of the people that he used to love and trust.

With a heavy sigh, he moved down the hall and tried to remember exactly when he'd started to drift apart from them. Sadly enough, he could trace it back to the final battle for the digital world. Five years later, and he doubted that they barely tolerated him anymore. At least, not after the ass he'd made of himself in front of half of them.

He was walking past the bathroom's when two girls entered the hall, snickering. "Can you believe how pathetic she looks?"

He paused, and looked at them. "I know. I don't think she's left the bathroom since this morning." Detentions be damned, he started to push open the door to the girls' restroom when a hand came down on his shoulder.

"Daisuke?" He stilled, and then looked guiltily at Sora. "What are you doing?"

"Um. I made a mistake?" He tried to look embarrassed.

"I doubt it. Is it Jun?" He hesitated, and then nodded. "Then she saw them, too?" He didn't have to ask whom, he simply nodded. "I was afraid of that. I'll talk to her."

"She shouldn't be here today. She's not ready to face them yet." She looked thoughtful for a moment before she nodded. 

"You're right. Where should we taker her? Your place?"

"We?" Sora smiled gently.

"Yeah, we. Someone has to drive, right?" He shrugged. "We can go back to my apartment."

"Thank you, Sora." Maybe he didn't have to drop all of his friends. "I'll wait here."

"Okay. Give me a couple of minutes." She entered the bathroom, and left him leaning against the wall outside. "Jun?"

There was no answer, but she hadn't expected one, either. She began to systematically check the stalls, pushing the door all the way open to make sure that Jun couldn't pull her legs up and hide. All the stalls were empty except for the last one. The door was locked, and there were no feet under it.

"Jun, if you come out I'm taking you home." No response. "Daisuke's in the hallway, and he's ready to come in here if you don't come out. He's upset, and he needs to make sure that you're okay."

There was a sniffle, and then two feet appeared under the door. The lock turned, and Jun opened the door, her eyes red and puffy. "Is he alright?"

Sora smiled gently, and reached out to wipe the fresh tears from Jun's face. "He'll be better when the both of you are out of here. Come on. Some cold water will make you feel a little better."

Jun let herself be led to the sink, where the brown-haired young woman wet a paper towel with cool water, and gently traced tear tracks down her cheek. "Why are you being so nice?"

The redhead sounded suspicious, and Sora smiled gently. "Because I've been there, remember? I knew that he would break your heart eventually, but it wasn't my place to tell anyone about their relationship. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. If it was my best friends, I wouldn't have told me, either." She sniffled again, and then looked in the mirror. "I look horrible."

"No you don't. You look heartbroken. On some people, and to some people, this is the most beautiful expression in the world. It signifies a depth of feeling that few people feel."

"I didn't love him." Jun looked into Sora's brown eyes earnestly, wanting her to understand. "I loved his words, and the songs he wrote, but I never loved him."

The other female smiled, touching her cheek as she would to comfort a small child. "I understand."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." She threw the paper towel away, and smiled gently. "We should go, if we're going."

______________

__

If sisters were truly so great, then why did they seem to have so many problems? They hit puberty early on, and get stuck having to worry about periods, and mood swings. Then, as they get older, they tend to worry about impressing guys, and getting the perfect date, and creating an image that doesn't suit them.

Boys, especially younger brothers, are raised to think that they shouldn't have to change, that the world should change for them. That's really not fair. It should change for the sister's because they deserved it the most.

_____________

Daisuke watched the cars go past, and ignored his sister and Sora. They had driven across town, and stopped in the shopping district. He didn't understand why girls felt the need to shop when they were depressed. Personally, he'd rather be running up and down a soccer field, mauling other players, and having a fun time.

Of course, without Ken, he wouldn't have any one to play against until the season actually started. He frowned and hunched his shoulders. There were a lot of things he couldn't do without Ken by his side, and the thought was depressing. He'd either have to find new friends, or find a way to deal with Ken and Miya being together.

"It's not fair." Jun sifted her hand through his hair.

"What's not fair, squirt?" Since joining her brother, she'd been working overtime to control herself and her emotions. If Daisuke knew that she was feeling as low as he was, then he'd have twice as much to worry about, and she didn't want that for him. He should be happy, and carefree. If she ever got her hands on Ken, she would give that boy a talking to he wouldn't soon forget. Her brother was wonderful and sweet, and he didn't deserve to be rejected by his best friend.

"I can't hang out with my friends, because they're his friends. And I can't hang out with the older kids, because of Matt and Tai, and I no longer have a best friend." Sora chewed on her bottom lip to hide her slight smile.

"You can hang out with me, Dai. That goes for you, too, Jun." Both redheads looked at her.

"You're friends with them, too, you know. You don't have to side with us. Dai and I can get along just fine." Jun wrapped her arm around her brother, and rested her head against his. "We'll manage just fine with the too of us, won't we, squirt?"

"Of course, Jun. He hugged her side, and smiled at the brunette. "But it would still be nice to have friends."

"All of my friends are still part of the Ishida Yamato fan club." Jun sighed, and tried to draw away from him.

He hugged her tighter, and grinned. "That's okay. Just wait until Tai and Matt tell everyone. They'll shove it in everyone's face, just for the fun of it."

"Matt will lose a lot of his followers." Sora frowned, and started walking again. Brother and sister broke apart and followed her, Daisuke on her right, beside the road, and Jun on her left. "They'll need all the friends that they can get at that point."

"I'll be there." Daisuke looked apologetically at his sister. "I have to be. No matter what, they're still my friends, and they deserve to have my support when they let the cat out of the bag."

"I understand, Dais." She smiled at him, resting her thumbs in her pants pockets, and tapping her fingers against her legs. "As far as that goes, I'll denounce anyone that has a problem with it."

"That's really good of you guys. It's great that you're willing to put it in the past."

"But the past is not yet over it, and it may take me a while to get up the strength to deal with it all." She didn't mention that she hadn't left the bathroom until they rescued her, or that she'd been eyeing her pill bottle when Sora came in. There were over twenty pills left, at five hundred milligrams apiece. That was a thousand milligrams of pain medication, more than enough to dull the pain that had settled in her head and chest.

"You both need to keep active. Sitting at home, and crying over it won't help anything. You have to move on, and find something else to occupy your mind."

Jun looked at her brother. "Maybe you could go out with someone else. Ken's not good enough for you anyway." Sora laughed.

"That's not exactly what I meant. I think you should both put dating on the back shelf for a while, and try to find some new hobby that can take up your time. You'll gain new friends, find new interests, and maybe find someone else." She smiled. "There's someone out there for the both of you, and you'll find them when you're not looking."

"Is this the speech that ends 'they're right under your nose'?" Daisuke nudged her side and smiled. It wasn't his normal grin, but it was closer than he'd gotten in a while. "I've heard this." He turned to Jun. "You will meet a tall and handsome stranger, and you shall be swept off your feet."

Sora and Jun laughed, then the redhead paused, and put a hand to her right temple. "Wait! I'm getting a vision. I see…I see love in your future. You will meet someone you already knew, and he will be hot for you, and he shall save you from a fire-breathing dragon!" They erupted into giggles, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk to lean against each other.

"And shortly after your first kiss, a flying saucer will come to spirit him away to another world." Sora added.

"Where they eat funny liquid things, and fight like medieval times, with swords and spears."

"And his horse will turn into a portable racecar, so that you can outrun even the fastest of dragons!"

"I'm not wearing a dress." Daisuke glared for a moment, and then they collapsed into laughter. Jun leaned heavily against Sora's side, and swatted her brother on the arm.

"That feels so good. I haven't laughed like that in ages."

Daisuke straightened up first. "All we need now is someone to act it out with me." They smiled, and Jun wiped a tear of laughter from her eye. 

"Skipping school has never been this much fun." Sora nodded in agreement, and hugged the red-haired young woman gently. 

"No, it hasn't."

________________

__

Insanity is hereditary. Seriously. If one sibling in a family is nuts, so will the other sibling. Fortunately for me, Jun's not crazy, and lucky for her, neither am I. Even if one of us were off our rockers, it wouldn't make a difference to the other. We love each other. We share a bond. Yes, I want good presents for my birthday.

________________

Daisuke and Jun trudged into the apartment at five o'clock, and found a note from their parents saying that they had the place to themselves until the following day. No other warning, no message saying where they were going. "That's just great."

"What do you want for dinner?" Daisuke ignored his sister's sarcasm, and headed into the kitchen. Someone knocked on the door, and she went to answer it, not bothering to check in the peephole.

Violet eyes met hers, and she frowned, then scowled, and finally settled on glaring at Ken as she leaned against the doorframe to bar his entrance into their apartment. "What do you want, jerk-boy?" Her tone was snide, angry, and more than a little threatening.

"I would like to speak with Daisuke, please." He held his head high, and regarded her proudly. When she made no move to get her brother, or let him in, he frowned. "Please, Jun. I need to speak with him."

"You hurt him, or make him cry, and I will pound you into the ground, do you understand me?" He looked at her stony face, and then at her clenched fist, and nodded. "Good. He's in the kitchen. You have five minutes before I throw you out on your pretty little face."

"Thank you." He spoke sincerely, and then hesitated when she straightened up to let him by. She didn't touch him, instead she simply shut the door and went into the living room to give them privacy.


	4. Kisses can be cruel

__

If sisters are the root of all evil, does that meant that little brothers are less than evil? Are we by products, or castoffs? Or are we the power that crushes the evil that sisters are.

Maybe we're the root of all evil, and that's why they seem so mean. Just because something happens to be good for you, that doesn't mean that you have to like it. Sisters, then, are more like broccoli. You deal with it because you have to, and only realize thirty years later how glad you were that you suffered through.

___________

Daisuke walked slowly up the sidewalk to school, dreading each passing moment. Jun had dropped him off, but felt unable to face the people at school again. He sighed, wishing that he felt a little less able, but he didn't want his friends to know exactly how deep he was hurting. Then they'd worry, and he'd have to deal with their concern like he'd dealt with Ken's the night before.

He wasn't strong enough to handle their guilt and his own pain at the same time. Before, he would have wallowed in the attention they bestowed on him when he was down, but he doubted that he had the stomach to deal with it. 

With a sigh, he pushed through the doors, ignoring the awkward silence of the group by the door. They were students he didn't know that well. His chin tilted up, and he walked by proudly as the thought that he didn't know anyone that well flashed through his head. Sora came out of her homeroom, heading for her locker for a forgotten item. She spotted him quickly, and scanned the hallways for his sister.

"She didn't come." They paused in the middle of the hall. Her eyes flickered with something akin to pain, and she nodded. "She said she'd try tomorrow, but I doubt that she's back before Monday."

"I should have told her." Their was guilt and remorse in her voice and eyes. "I should have warned her, or something. She didn't deserve to find out this way. Nobody should have to." Her brown eyes flickered over him, and she smiled gently at him. "How are you holding up?"

He shrugged, knowing that he couldn't fool her as easy as he could fool the others since she'd been there for him yesterday. "Been better days, been worse days."

"I bet that you'd rather be fighting evil Digimon right now than having to go to class."

"I'd rather be doing a lot of things than having to face them all for another day." He sighed again, his shoulders drooping in defeat. When his brown eyes met hers, they were bleak. "When you find her, tell her I was flirting with some guy from biology."

Her eyes watered as she nodded at him. "I'll do that." She didn't ask why, but he knew that she already knew the answer. If he bounced back quickly, then that would be one less thing that she'd have to worry about. "Here's my pager number if you need me to come get you."

She handed him a card, and he nodded as he put it in his back pocket. "Thank you." They traded small smiles as they went their separate ways, he in the direction of his homeroom, and she heading towards the entrance.

"Miss Takenouchi, where are you going?" Daisuke stopped and turned as he heard the principal's voice. Sora stood ramrod straight as she tried to come up with a good reason to leave. If she couldn't leave, then Jun would be alone. 

Without a second thought, he grabbed the nearest male to him, grabbed him by gripping his shirt in his fists, and kissed him soundly. Someone dropped their books, and Daisuke heard the principal mutter something about the outrage of it all as he stalked toward them. Sora snuck out of the door as the principal tore him away from his poor victim.

Green eyes stared up at him in shock, and he swallowed hard when he realized exactly who he had grabbed. "Mr. Hida and Mr. Motomiya, get in my office." Iori's eye were wide as he backed away, then turned to walk stiffly in the direction that the man was pointing his finger.

He could feel the flush climbing his face as he passed a bunch of people. His eyes met those of his friends, and he looked down, ashamed of what he had done. If he'd had to drag himself down, the least he could have done was keep the group out of it. 

___________

__

Friends, good friends, are hard to come by. There are always the false ones lurking around every corner, and they're the ones that leave you hanging in the breeze with your underwear slipping past your knees.

Good friends, however, stand by you every step of the way, holding your hand as you hold onto the shredded buckle of your belt, trying to keep from mooning all the creeps behind you that wouldn't stick by you.

___________

With tears pouring down her face, Jun slipped farther down against the concrete wall, until she was sitting on the ledge on the edge of the bridge. Below her, barely three feet from where her back met the wall, the water flowed quickly, reminding her of a running faucet as it bubbled against the river bank. Behind her, beyond the bridge, the dam churned up water, making a light spray.

The Tamachi dam was one of her favorite places to visit. The bridge was a walkway from the entrance to the dam and the parking lot, where she could see her car if she turned her head. Daisuke had found out about the ledges a couple of months back, and had told her about sitting there, looking out over the lake that the dam formed, feeling free and unrestrained.

She wasn't enjoying the view, and she didn't feel any of the peace and contentment that he had felt. Her whole body was quivering in reaction to the turmoil that rampaged through her. She lost track of time as she sat there, pouring her emotions out through throat-burning sobs.

It took her quite a while to finally realize that she wasn't alone any more, that she was curled against a warm body, and that some one was holding her tight and stroking her hair. Soft words slowly started breaking through to her spinning mind, trying to reach her, trying to soothe her. She snuggled closer, letting the tears continue to fall as her sobs quieted, and her body relaxed.

Sora held the crying girl against her, resting her chin on top of the soft redhair as silent tears slipped down her own cheeks. "It's okay, love. It's okay."

She rubbed her back, looking out over the water, watching as the shadowy outline of Odaiba fell across the lake. It was a beautiful sight, even with the sun overhead. she wondered what it would look like with the sunset, sitting on a blanket by the side of the lake.

"We'll get you through this, Jun. You'll heal, and move on, and years from now, you'll come back to this very spot, and think of all the happy times you've had. You'll smile as you remember how sad you were, thankful that you're over that time in your life. Everyone has to have a first heart break."

She sighed, rubbing her head in the silky strands of red. 

"And a second, and a third." She tilted her head, and let it rest against the top of Jun's. "But life goes on, and eventually, you'll find someone who will feel the same way you do, who will love you for an eternity. You'll be happy, and get married, and have a dozen children."

Her voice caught for a moment, and she closed her eyes. Two slim arms wound their way around her back, holding her close as the redhead relaxed completely, slipping into a light, exhausted sleep.

"Or, fate willing, you'll realize that I'm here, that I love you, and we'll spend the rest of our lives holding each other." She smiled wistfully, a final tear making its way down her cheek. "We could be so happy. I wouldn't ever make you cry, or leave you."

__________

__

When a sister is mad, you will know. She glares, and hollers, and swats at the back of the head. When a sister is happy, you will know it. She grins, and laughs, and swats at the back of the head. When a sister is sad, you will know it. She grins, and laughs, and walks away without so much as touching you once.

It hurts worse when she's sad, because there is no clear way to alleviate what she's feeling. It makes me feel helpless, and useless, and sad myself.

__________

Daisuke slumped in the chair, his head dropping down as he crossed his arms and closed his eyes. In a chair barely three feet away sat Iori, his face pale, his eyes staring vacantly at the desk. The principal shut the door with a loud bang, and both boys winced at the sound.

The principal was an older man named Mr. Hurashi, and he wasn't one to act kindly toward rule-breakers. Kissing on school grounds was against the rules. With a hard look at both boys, the balding, heavy-set man sat down in his seat, leaving them to stew in the silence.

He looked from the redhead to the brunette, and back again, his eyes flashing guardedly between them. He finally settled his gaze on Daisuke, and waited for him to acknowledge him.

When brown eyes met his, he raised an eyebrow. "Would you like to explain exactly what happened, Mr. Motomiya?" 

With a sigh, he nodded. "It was my fault, Mr. Hurashi. I grabbed the nearest person and kissed him. Iori had nothing to do with it, except by being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Really?" He seemed to accept that, nodding his head as he laced his fingers and settled his elbows on the table. "And why, exactly, would you just grab somebody?"

"Because some punk was messing with me because I'm gay." He spoke the lie easily, not indicating by tone or gesture that it was a lie. Iori looked up at him and frowned.

The principal nodded, leaning back in his chair and settling his hands in his lap. "That's unfortunate, then. I didn't hear this other kid, but I did see you forcing unwanted attention on another student. That's a suspension, and both parents should be notified." 

Daisuke hung his head, imagining his mother getting wind of this. They'd lock him in his room and never let him out again. "Mr. Hurashi, Daisuke is trying to cover for me. We've been dating for a couple of days, and the other guy was teasing him about kissing me."

Brown eyes swiveled quickly to the brunette. Iori was staring straight into the principal's eyes, his gaze unwavering. His fingers were curled into the arms of the chair, the knuckles white.

"Is that true?" Hurashi turned to Daisuke, and waited until he nodded, hanging his head guiltily.

"I know that I shouldn't have reacted so rashly, sir. I didn't mean any disrespect by it." He waited, his head bowed, until he heard the chair swivel around.

"Then that's different. You both have a lunch detention for breaking the rules, and you are forbidden, as all students are, of kissing in this building. You may both go. I'll send word to your next hour teachers as to when you will serve your detention."

"Thank you, sir." Iori stood up, bowed, and walked out of the room. Daisuke copied him, moving with less grace and more speed so that he could catch up to the smaller teen. He opened his mouth to apologize, but the words wouldn't come out of his mouth.

Finally, deciding that he couldn't very well talk to his back, he placed a hand on his shoulder. "Wait, please." Iori turned to face him, a neutral mask in place, his eyes guarded. "I'm sorry." He stopped, not knowing how to continue.

The brunette treated him to a gentle, understanding smile. "You had to get Sora out of here. That's fine."

"Thank you." He felt his eyes watering, and closed them to regain control of himself. When he opened them again, Iori was frowning at him in worry.

"Are you okay?" The green eyes that searched his face were gentle, offering to help. Daisuke swallowed, and shook his head.

"I've had better days." His voice was slightly breathless, and he had to clear his throat before he could trust himself to speak. "Thank you." He tried to smile, but it wobbled, and he hurried away before he burst out in tears. The hallway was clear of students, and he managed to make it into the empty bathroom without being caught.

Like a repeat of the day before, he collapsed in the stall, but on the seat this time. Without doors, there was no way that he could hide from anyone that entered, and so his only hope was that no one came in. First hour teachers rarely let their students go anyway, so he had a ninety-five percent chance of peace.

He leaned forward, elbows on his legs, his head in his hands, and let the tears flow. It wasn't a loud cry, and it wasn't the same as before. 

This crying was the outcome of the realization that he had pushed all of his friends away. He had swore at them, and told them that he didn't care, and had made a fairly large muddle of it all. His best friend had tried to apologize, and he'd ignored him. His friends tried to talk him through it, had made a consistent effort to keep him as a part of the group, and he pushed them away.

The door opened, and he moved his hands to cover his ears. If someone wanted to ridicule him, they could do it all they wanted, as long as he didn't have to hear it. The world could crash around him, and he'd be okay as long as he didn't have to listen to it.

_________

__

The greatest value of a sister is her ability to be there when you want her the least, but need her the most. If she was only around when you thought you wanted her, then you'd be in a hell of a mess. Since she refuses to disappear off the face of the planet, she's there whether you want her or not.

Of course, the biggest problem with sisters is that they are constantly underfoot, getting in the way, and cursing you for being born in their way. They don't seem to appreciate it when you're there when they need you most, and they certainly aren't happy when you're around and they want you gone.

__________

With a start, Jun sat up, waking up and pulling away automatically from the young woman holding her. Sora smiled, letting go with a sweet smile. "Hello." Her voice was soft, merely a whisper over the lake.

The redhead licked her lips, then ventured a small smile of her own. "Hi."

Sora turned back to face the lake, raising her right leg to rest her arm on it. "This is a beautiful spot. Is this the place that Daisuke talks about?" 

A nod affirmed that, yes, it was the place. The redhead looked self-conscious, her eyes puffy, her cheeks marked by the trail of tears. "How is he?"

"He's good. He was kissing Iori when I left."

"Really?" There was an unselfish happiness in her voice, and hope in her eyes. "That's good. Then he's already over that worthless brainiac." 

With a sad smile, Sora shook her head. "No. He was making a distraction so that I could get past Hurashi. The old man caught me trying to sneak out. No one breaks the rules right in front of him, and gets away with it."

Jun laughed slightly, and then licked her bottom lip again. "Does that mean that he doesn't like Iori?"

"I honestly don't know. He didn't seem to mind being kissed, and I think Daisuke kind of dragged it out more than needed, so maybe there is something there."

"That would nice. He's the little brunette with green eyes, right?" Jun had turned her gaze out to the lack, refusing to look at the girl beside her.

"Yes. He's a sweet kid, and Dai could definitely do a lot worse. He'd treat him good." Sora resisted the urge to smooth Jun's hair back. The wind had picked up slightly, sending cool air at them.

"That's good. He wouldn't have to worry about having his heart broken." There was a yearning in her voice that Sora caught and felt deep within herself.

"Just because Iori's sweet, he may not be gay. No amount of kindness or loyalty could change it if he weren't." Sora pointed out, her voice normal. She smiled to herself, knowing how true her words were.

They let several minutes pass with silence, then Jun glanced back, and blushed when she realized that Sora was staring at her. She looked away quickly. "You seem pretty calm through this whole thing. I always kind of figured that you'd be as upset by Matt dating someone else as I was, but you seem okay with all of this."

"They're both my friends. And I did find out a while ago how things were between them. That's the reason that Matt and I broke up in the first place, so that they could be together."

Jun nodded, her palms flat on the concrete ledge as she slipped closer to the edge, and hung her legs over the side. She leaned forward slightly, then sat back, folding her hands in her lap. 

"I wish they would have come forward sooner." Sora scooted up beside her, careful not to touch her hand. "I tried to get them to tell you. I should have just done it myself, but I hated pushing them."

"Why would it matter so much? I would have eventually found out, as I did." Jun grimaced. "At least I was able to hold onto my illusions a little longer."

"And it hurts that much more because it kept building. A deep crush is almost worse than actually being in love, because you define yourself by them. The longer it continues, the harder it is to form an identity separate from the."

The redhead looked at her in amazement, her eyes wide. "That's it, exactly. I don't know how to act, or who I am, or how I feel now that I can't identify with him. He defined who I was with his words, with his voice."

"You have to realize that the words and the feelings are still there. There are millions of people who feel what you feel, and have felt what you've felt. He's just managed to vocalize them in a way that sends the message."

Brown eyes filled with tears, and she looked away again, smiling thoughtfully. "Thank you. How did you know?"

Sora shrugged, and tucked a strand of Jun's hair behind her ear. "I've been there, remember? I even dated him. It's so easy to feel what he feels, because he rarely let's his emotions flow as unchecked as he does when he sings. He's always cool and untouchable, except when he's at the mic, or holding his guitar. The words and emotions flow from him, and it's wonderful."

Jun nodded. "That's exactly right." She smiled across the lake, her eyes thoughtful.

"Come on. I'll follow you home." Sora stood up, and waited for Jun to do the same, before crawling over the wall. She paused on top when the redhead began laughing. "What?"

"You really shouldn't be doing that in a skirt." She pointed to the way that it was riding up the brunette's legs. 

"Thank you." Sora managed to make it over the wall, and rolled her eyes as the jean-clad redhead scrambled over, her climb easier without the encumbersome school uniform. "I come all the way out here to help, and you laugh at me."

Jun took her arm, and hugged it. "Thank you. Without you, these last two days would have been unbearable." She let the brunette go, missing the look of disappointment in her eyes. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been around."

As much as she'd like to take all the credit, Sora shook her head in denial. "You have Daisuke. He wouldn't have let you suffer alone."

"True, but he would have simply suffered with me. He wouldn't have known what to say, or how to put it so that I understood exactly how I was feeling, since I didn't know myself."

"Then you are welcome. I'm here if you need me." She said it simply, keeping her heart out of it. Jun needed time, not a pushy lesbian trying to get her to realize what she was wasting on the opposite sex. They reached the cars, and Jun opened her door, then looked across the hood at Sora, who was unlocking her door. 

"Do you want to come for dinner tonight?" She smiled. "Daisuke normally cooks, because he can follow directions a little better than I can. Not that much better, but still."

The brunette smiled. "Sure. Sounds like an interesting experience. It can't be any worse than some of the things I've eaten."

"Good. We eat at about six, but you can just stay there, if you want."

"I would, but I have to go home before school gets out so that I can talk to my mother. I normally have to work after school, and she's still kind of mad that I skipped out yesterday."

Jun gasped. "I didn't mean to get you into trouble."

"You didn't, so don't worry." Sora smiled. "I'll follow you home, and be back before six."

"Okay." They smiled at each other before getting in. Sora closed her eyes, her hand pausing with the key in the ignition. She savored the warm feeling that seemed to spread from her chest, out. Jun honked her horn as she pulled away. Sora started the car, and backed out carefully, then followed Jun's car down the road, a smile spread across her face.


	5. Friends are to lean on

_The worst thing about having your first love be your best friend is the fact that once you cross the line, and drag everything out in the open, you either end up in an intense makeout session, like Tai and Matt._

_Or you end up barely speaking, feeling horribly awkward when he holds her hand, and wishing that you weren't wishing that it was you._

________

Warm hands covered his, and he looked up sharply, tilting his head without leaning back. He glared into brown eyes, his mouth twisting into a sneer. "What the hell do you want?" His voice was curt.

Tai knelt down in front of him. "You can't keep this up, Dai. You need us as much as we need you. It's killing us, and eating you alive. Whether you want to admit it or not, you'll always be a part of us."

"I can't be friends with any of you until he tells her that he's sorry. It doesn't matter whether or not he led her on. She cared for him, and he knew that, and he did nothing to make this easier on her."

"That's my fault, Dai. I was afraid that she'd freak out, and tell the world before he accepted that he was gay." Tai placed one foot flat on the ground, and crossed his arm on his raised knee. "I should be the one to apologize."

"It doesn't work that way. He's the one that hurt her, and he has to be the one that makes it right. Nobody can do that for him." Tai nodded slowly.

"He's not the only one that's hurt people lately, either." The brunette's look was pointed.

"I know. It's been an awful week all the way around." He grimaced. "And it's only Wednesday. There's still two more days left of fun." 

Tai stood up and smiled at him grimly. "I expect you to have made peace with your friends by Friday. Matt and I can wait, until he sees your sister, but you need to deal with them now."

The redhead sighed as he rose to his feet. "That's going to be harder with some than with others. I suppose you've heard something about the mess that I've made with Ken?"

"I heard that you told him you liked him on the same night that he and Miya were supposed to be having their first date." He leaned casually against the counter, and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Yeah, but that's not the best I've done so far."

"Really? I would think that that's a hard one to top."

"Unfortunately, it wasn't." He told him about what happened when Sora was trying to leave. Tai hissed a breath through his teeth. "He seems okay, but I don't doubt that he's probably not happy with me either."

"Possibly not. I don't know how I'd feel if you just jumped me in the middle of the hallway." Tai snickered. "I do know that you'd probably get the crap beaten out of you by Yama."

Daisuke rolled his eyes. "He'd have to deal with my sister over that one. She's gotten rather protective lately."

Taichi grinned. "Has she tried to maul Ken, yet?"

The redhead shook his head sadly. "She's been crying too hard to see him to beat the shit out of him." Tai winced. 

"She's taking it really badly, isn't she?" He sighed, and slapped himself in the forehead. "That's a dumb question, since she hasn't been in school in two days." 

"Sora's been really good to her. I don't know if I could have handled Jun's depression and my own without her help."

"Sora, huh?" Tai looked thoughtful, then grinned. "That's interesting. Did you know that Sora's a closet lesbian?"

"She can't be in the closet if you know." Daisuke pointed out. He thought for a moment, and shrugged. "She's still the best thing for Jun. Maybe even better if she loves her."

"So, anything going to happen with the Iori-kissing-thing?"

Daisuke gave him a tired look. "Do you really think I want to get my feelings mixed up with anyone else at this point?" He shook his head. "It's not happening. I really don't feel like repeating this whole thing again. Not for a good, long while."

"It was just a thought." Tai held up his hands defensively.

"Yes, but it was 'just a thought' that resulted in Ken trying to take over the Digital World, and it was 'just a thought' that almost caused me to lose all of my friends."

"Worse things have come from not thinking, you know."

_________

_The worse thing that came from lack of thought was kissing one of my friends, against his will, mind you. Of course, it didn't feel bad at the time._

_The worse thing that came from 'just a thought' was the thought that Ken would love me the way I thought he should. I thought he should, Jun thought he should. Hell, I think even Ken thought he should, which is why it took so long for him to get around to asking Miya to go out with him._

_Thinking, and not thinking, cause enough pain between the two of them that anyone that does either should be shot._

_________

Jun unlocked the door to the apartment, and stepped inside, shutting it quietly and leaning back against it. Her head was pounding, but she was in no hurry to get to her pill bottle. For once, the dull ache stayed that way, instead of spreading into a full-scale assault on her ravaged nerves.

She took her slippers off, and placed them neatly by the door, locking the bolt before she moved through the rest of the apartment. The kitchen received a glance, as did the living room. She stopped briefly in the bathroom to run cool water over her face.

Her final stop was her room. She took out the CD of depressing songs, and looked for a moment at the jacket cover to 'The Teenage Wolves'. With a frown, she took the disk out, put it in the player, and pressed play.

As the disk spun, she took out two pills, and swallowed them without water. They scratched a little at her dry throat, but she ignored the pain. The music started, a soft guitar hum. Her eyes stared blankly at the wall as the tempo picked up, and a bass was added, then the drums.

When Matt's voice came through the speaker, she looked at the radio, surprised to note that she felt nothing. She was completely numb. "I don't think that I'm supposed to feel this way." Her voice sounded odd, as if it echoed in the room.

A feeling of lightheadedness slipped over her, and she blinked groggily. She couldn't remember ever feeling so drained. It was more than just mental exhaustion. Her body was trying to tell her something, but she couldn't quite make out the signals.

With a tired sigh, she leaned back, closing her eyes against the spinning of the ceiling. Through the hazy fog in her mind, she heard Daisuke call her name. She opened her mouth to call to him, but yawned.

She was so sleepy. Just a little nap, and she'd ask him about school, and Iori. Just a little nap...

______

_Sisters do not keep secrets. Oh, no. They blab everything to anybody, without regard for privacy or feelings. That way, even though they don't say the really mean things, everyone already knows. It's not the same kind of pain as being teased by them, but it's close._

_Little brothers go one step better. Instead of telling the deep, dark secrets, and watching them blush with embarrassment, and mumble incoherently about wetting the bed, they glare and flush, and swear revenge while denying everything with such feeling that everyone thinks it's true, anyway._

_______ 

Daisuke opened the door before Sora could knock, and watched as she practically ran into the bedroom. He followed behind her slowly, stepping into the doorway as she was feeling for a temperature. She looked up with a worried frown, her hand holding Jun's.

He'd used the number she had given him for her pager, and asked her to come over. It was a little after three, and she'd barely gotten home, but her mother could wait.

"When was the last time she ate?" He paused trying to think back. It had to have been Sunday night. Since she refused to eat the school food, and she had skipped breakfast on Monday, she hadn't eaten in three days.

"Sunday night." He rubbed his arm uncertainly. "Is she going to be okay? Can you make her better?" His voice was small, and he looked close to tears. Sora stood up, crossed to him, and gave him a big hug.

"She'll be fine. She needs to eat something and drink a lot of water, and rest. I'll bet she hasn't slept that well since Sunday, either."

He shook his head. "The best sleep either of us had was five hours on the kitchen floor." She hesitated, then decided that that was a story that could wait. 

"Why don't you go make something to eat? Tai said that you've been picking at your lunch, so you could be on the verge of making yourself sick, as well."

He nodded, and left the room. The brunette sighed, then went in search of a wash-clothe. She wetted it down with cool water and carried it back to Jun's side, setting it on the nightstand so that she could straighten her out. She had to heft her legs onto the bed, and slide her up so that her feet didn't dangle over the edge.

That done, she wiped at her face, smiling when she murmured in her sleep. "Sleep well, love." She slipped the covers out from under the other woman, and covered her up. Daisuke reappeared as she stood up, a bowl of soup in his hands. 

"I didn't think that you'd want to wake her up completely. It's cool, so it won't scald her. We can sit her up, and you can feed her." He held the bowl out, his expression uncertain.

"That's a good idea, Daisuke. Why don't you help me get her into a sitting position."

He smiled slightly. "That's the easy part." He placed the bowl beside the water, and then leaned over his sleeping sister to whisper in her ear. A moment later, she pushed herself into a sitting position, still asleep.

"How did you do that?" Sora asked him incredulously.

"I told her that I'd paint her toenails of she sat up." He shrugged. "I don't remember how I came across it, but it works if I want her to move."

"That's astute, Dai." He blushed slightly, and made his way toward the door. He paused. 

"I'm going to eat a little, and then take a nap. Our parents left a message this morning that they'll be gone for a couple of days, so you can stay here, if you want. Jun's pajamas are in the top drawer." He hesitated, and bit at his bottom lip in the same manner as Jun when she didn't know what to say. "It's okay by me if you sleep in here. She likes to cuddle when she sleeps, so don't be surprised to wake up with her on top of you."

He blushed, and Sora could feel her own cheeks turning pink. She didn't know what he knew, but she could make some pretty accurate assumptions.

"And don't be surprised if she freaks out. She once mauled a bear when she woke up holding it. I'm not sure what her problem is, but she doesn't like waking up with things. She said something once about being bitten by a dog, but I don't remember the story."

He shrugged, and tugged at his ear. "Dai, I won't hurt her." She waited for his reaction, then relaxed when she realized that he was smiling at her.

"I know that, Sora. You're probably the best thing to happen to her. I just wanted you to be prepared for when she woke up." He smiled. "If I thought she was in any danger, either physically or emotionally, you wouldn't be here."

She smiled and nodded. "Thank you for trusting me with her." Another shrug, and he backed into the hallway, shutting the door behind him. Sora looked down at the teen whose red hair framed her face in odd spikes, her head rolling to the side at an odd angle. "I'll take good care of you. I promise."

_______

_The best time to have a sister is when the world's about to fall apart about you. Sisters have this innate ability to remain calm even as evil Digimon are destroying the streets of the city._

_It's uncanny, since any other day of their lives, they freak out over a pimple on the underside of their chin. Girls are complicated in general: sisters are ten times worse._

_______ 

Daisuke sighed as someone knocked on the door shortly before he made it into his room. With tired steps, he forced himself to cross the distance to the door, his shoulders slouched. He yawned as he opened the door, and blue eyes met his.

He held up a hand before Takeru could talk. "Listen. I kissed him because he was the first available male, and I knew Hurashi would have a fit. If he's offended, I'm sorry. If he's not, and he's more offended by my attitude since then, I'm sorry, but he's going to have to wait for a better day. If you want something else, try never."

The blonde frowned at him. "We're supposed to be going to the movies tonight. As a group?"

With another sigh, the redhead shook his head. "There is no way I'm leaving this apartment before I've slept for twelve hours. At least." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Nothing's worth the effort it would take to get dressed again." 

He waved down at his pajama bottoms and slippers. With a sudden determination, Takuru shrugged. "It doesn't matter, anyway. Iori won't be there either."

Daisuke thought about letting it pass, but the dark way that it was spoken caught his interest. "Why?"

"He's going on a date." It took a moment for the words to register, and then Daisuke closed his eyes.

"So? You make it sound like a bad thing." He didn't care if the brunette found someone. That would just make another of his friends who happened to be deliriously happy.

The cold look that Takeru sent him rivaled anything his brother could come up with. "He's going out with Toshio Nishida."

Daisuke froze, then gave the blonde the dirtiest, meanest look that he cold muster. "Why didn't you stop him?" He could feel his ire rising, and he clenched his hands into fists to stop himself from strangling the blonde.

"What should I have done? Told him he couldn't go? It's your fault, anyway. If Toshio hadn't seen the two of you kissing, he would never have asked Iori out." He glared back.

The redhead leaned against the wall, tilting his head back as he sighed. "Maybe they can work it out between them?" He growled low in his throat. "Doesn't he realize what a jerk he is? The guy has slept with half the population at school, both male and female. How can Iori even think about going with this guy? He's being used."

"Are you so certain?" Takeru challenged him. "Don't you think Iori's good enough to change him?"

"Don't play that game with me, TL. If anyone can bring that lying sack of fecal matter around, it would be Cody." The nickname slipped out, and Daisuke was too tired to try to cover for it. He didn't care if the brunette preferred to be called by his real name. "I just have some serious doubts about how much he's going to be able to accomplish. I doubt Toshio chose him for his personality."

"So do I." Takeru frowned. "That's why I was hoping that you'd come tonight. We're going to the same theater as them, and we were hoping that you'd..." He trailed off, trying to recall exactly what they had wanted him to do.

"Why don't you dish me some caffeine from the fridge, and I'll work on a plan while I get dressed." Daisuke suggested, already walking towards his room. Takeru looked smugly at his back. Leave it to Daisuke to do something to protect his friends over doing something fun with them. 

The thought was also saddening, since it meant that his 'duty' to them meant more than their friendship. The blonde sighed, making his way to the refrigerator, and searching through it until he found a cola in the back.

It took ten minutes for the redhead to return, and he still looked ready to fall asleep as soon as he stood still. "When was the last time that you slept?"

"Slept, or slept well? I've napped off and on since Monday, but my last good night of sleep was Sunday." He yawned, took the can from Takeru, and drank it in one gulp. "You guys have to feed me, too."

"Should I hold your hand to the car?" Daisuke snickered.

"No, but you could carry me on your back." He smiled, his eyes slipping shut for a moment. "Tai driving?" The blonde nodded. "And Matt?" Another nod. "Which means that I either get stuck with you and Kari necking, or Miya and Ken." He rolled his eyes. "How thrilling."

"Actually, the four of us can fit in one car."

"No. Then I'd be the reason that three of you are cramped in the backseat, uncomfortable, and without any loving." He slipped his shoes on, leaning against the wall to keep his balance. "I'd hate to miss the fun."

"Let's just go." 

_______

_A first date with anyone should be a phenomonal event. Something to look forward to, a hot piece of gossip to share with all of your friends. Uncertain glances, and nervousness. Racing heartbeats, and sweaty palms._

_For some reason, it reminds me a lot of puberty, but the only thing I really remember from that time period is having my voice crack while talking in front of the entire class. _

_The only person who didn't laugh was Iori._

_______

Jun felt her whole body tense as she realized that something heavy was lying across her. She held herself still, and cracked one eye open. Nothing seemed out of place except the weight on her waist. With apprehension, she raised her head, and let out a relieved sigh when she realized that it was just Sora.

That thought was quickly followed by the realization that the other girl had her hand on Jun's breast. She fell back against the pillows, and closed her eyes, trying to remember what had happened that had led up to the both of them wearing her pajamas, and sleeping in the same bed.

Nothing came to her at first, and she let her mind slip away. She'd come home, and taken her pills, and felt sick. Daisuke had sounded so worried, and then Sora had come. She vaguely recalled something being spooned into her mouth, and the cool air when her clothes were removed to put her nightclothes on.

So they hadn't done anything. Somehow, that thought didn't seem as reassuring as it should.

She could come up with a thousand and one excuses for why she shouldn't feel the tingle that generated with the touch on her breast. She was ill, she was tired, on the rebound, confused, lost, struggling, alone. Add them all up, and she couldn't be held accountable for how she acted.

However, she knew that every one of those excuses were exactly that: excuses for enjoying a contact that had her body and blood singing. She couldn't remember a time when she'd felt so relaxed and aroused at the same time. Despite the different emotions that swam through her head, she couldn't shake the contentment she felt.

All the reasons in the world couldn't erase the need she had in that instant. She could have moved down just a little, and meshed their lips. She could have kissed Sora until she woke up, and they could have become lovers. 

She didn't move, an indication of the fact that she was thinking clearly, and she knew exactly what was going on. But she didn't remove Sora's hand, and she didn't move away, and she didn't dwell on what the world would say should it ever find out that she'd slept with another woman.

Instead, she covered that hand with her own, holding it against her heartbeat as she breathed deeply, her sense of smell picking up the light scent of Sora's shampoo. It was intoxicating, and she couldn't think of a single thing to make her move.

With a smile, she kept her left hand on Sora's, and stroked her hair gently with her right, letting the brown strands slip through her fingers with a silky caress. The brunette shifted, moving closer, sliding her leg between Jun's. The redhead stilled for a moment, then realized that she hadn't woken her bedmate.

Her smile widened, and she hooked her leg over Sora's, hugging her close as she moved her hand down her back. With a happy sigh, she moved a little closer, so that she would be able to see her eyes when she woke up. She kissed her forehead softly, then settled back down to sleep.

________

_I've heard before that the ultimate guy fantasy was two women going at it. Personally, I'd rather have two guys, since the only two lesbians that I know of are Sora and my sister. And, so my sister hasn't exactly made any big announcements._

_Little brothers know. That's what makes us great at blackmail. We don't have to read their diaries, and we don't have to listen in on private conversations. We just *know* the things that they don't want us to know._

________

Daisuke looked around at the food court, and sighed. He had demanded that they all leave him to his plan and enjoy the movie. If they found Iori, and he asked, they would tell him the truth. That they'd been ditched by a moody Daisuke who'd sat in the front seat of Matt's car while Miya and Ken had giggled in the back.

He felt sick to his stomach, and was extremely glad when he could escape the car. They had seemed uncomfortable at first, but they had warmed to each other quickly. Only Matt had seen the disgusted torment on his face. When Ken had gotten out of the car, he'd looked at him hesitantly, but Dai had forced himself to meet his gaze with the smallest of smiles.

That simple exchange alone had managed to make Ken relax completely. His whole demeanor had seemed to change, and Daisuke had seen a more confident Ken than ever before. He'd felt a stab of jealousy at first, realizing that it was Miyako who had made the change.

Takeru and Hikari had passed him with smiles, but Tai and Matt had each hooked an arm around his shoulders and pulled him in with them. His only reaction had been a raised eyebrow and a snide, "Now I'm the Ishida-Yagami love child?" They had both laughed, linking hands as they dropped a few steps behind him.

Back in the present, he spotted the couple he was looking for. Toshio, with his light good looks, could compete with Matt for most of his fan base. Toshio was a little taller, had a little more muscle, and his hair was longer. His face was leaner, giving him sharp facial features.

Daisuke glared at him for a moment, trying to decide just what it was about his looks that took him straight from Matt's fine face, to an ugly bastard. It was the nose, he decided. That straight, sharp, bony nose that seemed too big for his face.

He paused a moment longer, trying to think up a phrase that would fit the mood. Was he 'screwing up his courage' to go over there? 'Gathering' it?

He snickered. It didn't take courage to make an annoying ass of yourself. It took attitude, ego, and a lack of common sense. He smiled, starting forward as he decided that he had enough of all three to get him through the night.

Toshio was leaning across the table charmingly, his oily grin set in 'seduction mode'. Daisuke shook his head to clear it, and then took the seat between them with a tired sigh, taking them both by complete surprise.

He pretended to miss the way they suddenly let go of each other's hand. Instead, he hid his glare behind a yawn, then leaned back in the chair. "Hi, guys. Sorry to bug in on you two, but I had to get away from the whole couple thing for a while, you know?" 

With a disinterest he heartily felt, he flicked his hand in the general direction of the movie theater, where his friends were standing in line, holding hands with their respective others. Toshio glared at him, his eyes resembling those of a rat. "Actually, we were just-"

Daisuke yawned again, holding up his hand for the older teen to wait a moment. "Sorry. I can't hear anything when I yawn." He yawned again, blinking his eyes. "Oops." He turned tired eyes to Iori, who was watching him with a concerned frown.

He mentally patted himself on his back as he realized that the brunette had gone from irritated date to worried friend. "Are you feeling okay?" Green eyes met his, and Daisuke forgot for a moment that he was supposed to breathe.

"Yeah." He shook his head to clear it, and smiled. Whatever he'd been about to say next was cut off by another yawn. A glance at Toshio showed him glaring at him, but Daisuke didn't care. "Why did you ditch us tonight? Takeru said that you weren't coming, yet you're here."

Green eyes looked away from him, and seemed to settle guiltily on the surface of the table. Toshio took that as his cue to take the conversation back into his court. "We're on a date, actually." His glare was pointed and smug, and Daisuke tried to remember why that look felt so familiar.

It clicked as the blonde smirked at him. He'd been sitting behind Miyako when they'd had the argument the day before. Instead of allowing himself to be baited, he smiled at Iori.

"That's cool. You did the smart thing, and stayed away from the females." They both looked at him in surprise, and he laughed. "I just sat through a twenty minute lovefest between Ken and Miya. Personally, it's more than a little disgusting." He shuddered for added effect.

Iori was regarding him thoughtfully, and Toshio looked ready to throttle him. He smiled absent-mindedly, staring at the salt shaker with sudden intensity. He'd heard Hikari comment on him 'zoning out' like that before. She said that he suddenly fixated on an object, and would stare at it for hours. He didn't really like the idea of staring at a worthless, pointless piece of glass for hours, but she had also said that the last time he did it, it had been Iori who had walked him home. He blinked, losing interest with the salt shaker as he realized that the thought of having lost that memory was painful.

"Daisuke?" He looked up again, trying to generate his tired brain into functioning for a little longer. "Do you want me to take you home?"

"No." He shook his head adamantly. He couldn't ask for his help without Iori looking back on it later, and blaming him for ruining his first date. He didn't want him mad with him, He was the only person he hadn't fought with, out of their friends. "If you guys want, I'll move to another table." 

He straightened in his chair, but Toshio smiled politely and waved him back down. "We were just finished actually, so you can have the table." He turned to Iori with his slick smile, and Daisuke wanted to gag. He couldn't understand how anybody, especially a person as smart as Iori, could be fooled by that look. "Our movie's about to start, Iori."

The brunette stood up, but paused before leaving Daisuke. They were going to leave before he got a chance to do whatever it was that he'd been going to do. He sighed, meeting the emerald gaze that peered down at him. Something constricted in his chest, and he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were a little less glazed than before, and they held a genuine smile. "Have fun, Iori. I'm sorry that I butted my head in. A first date should be magic, not filled with memories of your stupid friends. I hope tonight is a beautiful memory for you."

Toshio called the brunette's name before he could respond. He started to walk away, but paused again. "Thank you, Dai." And then he was gone. Daisuke felt a twinge in his chest, and turned to watch as they walked into the theater. The twinge blossomed into a painful pressure that spread through his body. 

He turned around and quickly leaned his head on the table. He felt sick to his stomach, and empty. He wanted to throw up, but he doubted that any food existed in the hollow pit that had become his body. It really wasn't supposed to hurt so much. He knew that, though he didn't know exactly *what* wasn't supposed to hurt that much.

He couldn't ruin Iori's date, and he couldn't call that bastard Toshio out. If he did, he'd be betraying the only friend he could count on anymore. He'd be hurting Iori, and that would hurt too much.


	6. THe beginning of forever

__

When a sibling is sick, the other one gets stuck cleaning out the puke-bowl. It's like a punishment for being healthy. However, if they're both sick, it falls on the eldest, or the least sick to do the cleaning and the nurturing.

Mothers don't do it. They stop the whole 'taking care of' business shortly after the first one's old enough to burn water. They stop hugging, and reading stories, and coming to games. 

At least, that's what my mother did.

________

Jun woke up to he sound of the door shutting. She yawned and stretched before she opened her eyes. "Hey, sleepy. Time to get up." She opened her eyes, and smiled up at Sora. "Welcome back to the world. You slept for sixteen hours."

"I feel better. And I was awake at one point, but I don't know what time it was." Sora's lips curled, and she brushed a stray lock of hair behind Jun's ear. "What's for breakfast? And where's Dai?"

"He's making eggs and toast." The redhead sat up, ignoring the blankets as they slipped to her waist. Her nightshirt covered her decently enough. It was a cut off T-shirt that stopped just above her belly button. "He's a good cook. He made me breakfast first, since we thought that we'd let you sleep."

"Thanks. I feel better." Sora moved to stand up to give her more room, but a hand on her arm stopped her. "I'm sorry about dinner."

"Don't worry about it." Her smile was genuine as she looked down at her. Something warm flickered in her eyes, and she pulled back. "I'll leave you to get dressed."

With a feeling close to giddiness, the redhead jumped out of bed, and moved around, finding an outfit to wear. She paused in front of the mirror, remembering the many mornings that she'd obsessed over what to pick out. She didn't have to worry about that, and the thought made her smile. She no longer had to impress anybody. 

She pulled out her school uniform and a pair of pants instead of a skirt. It would be the first day in a long time that she was existing for herself. There would be no more fan-clubs, and she wouldn't need to act differently to attract attention.

The smile that she wore into the kitchen must have been something new, as well, because her brother and Sora stared at her for several seconds. "Morning!" She slipped into the seat across from Sora, and met her gaze. 

Daisuke set a plate of food in front of her, and then poured her a glass of milk. "I'm glad to see that you're better." His quiet tone slipped past her in her newfound revelations, and she missed the fatigue in his eyes.

"It's going to be a beautiful day." Her voice was reverent, her eyes glowing. "This is the first day of the rest of my life, and I'm going to enjoy everything about it."

Sora smiled at her, her own happiness bubbling over as she read the sincerity in Jun's gaze. "That's wonderful!" Daisuke rolled his eyes, deciding that too much sap really could make a person sick to death. He yawned, and stood up to make his own breakfast. Jun's eyes followed him.

The light dimmed as she realized that his shoulders were still set in a rejected manner, and the lack of emotion in his voice registered. "What's the matter, Daisuke?"

He shrugged, and cracked an egg into the pan. "Everyone in the group has someone. I think I feel a little lonely." He turned for a moment, a grin on his face. "On the good side, I figured out the whole Ken thing."

"Really? So, you're okay with him and Miya now?" The world just kept getting better and better in Jun's eyes. Her brother nodded, and turned back to scramble the eggs.

"I was losing my best friend. It was jealousy, because he wouldn't have as much time to share with me as he had before. She would come first, and all that. I just didn't want to lose him." Another egg, and he yawned. "But we'll always be friends, and nothing can change that."

"I'm so glad that you worked things out, Dai. Today is the first day of **our** new life." She held up her milk in a toast, and Daisuke raised the spatula that he was cooking with.

__________

__

In this life, I only want one boyfriend. He should be everything that I need, more so than what I want. He should enjoy some of the things I do, and he should have a lot of patience. We will not be a perfect match, because we will be different, but we'll balance, and that will be our strength.

I could describe all the things that my sister needs, and list them all in great detail, but I've come to the conclusion that I can sum up a great number of characteristics and traits with one word: Sora.

__________

They walked down the hall as a unit, Jun in the lead, Daisuke the left flank, and Sora the right. The hallway was crowded with students, and they could hear a commotion at the end. It was Sora who pointed out Tai's hair above the crowd. Someone muttered the word 'queer' as they approached, and it didn't take much deduction to realize that Tai and Matt were in trouble.

Jun pushed through with confidence, gently shoving aside friends and acquaintances. In the middle of the surge of people stood Tai and another guy, twice his size. Matt stood against the wall with wide eyes and a bloody nose.

Tai's eyes were murderous, and he was breathing heavy. The ring of people immediately around them were part of the group belonging to his antagonist, Ryo. It looked like a fair fight until his buddy, Ichiro, lunged forward and grabbed Tai, holding his arms at his side. Daisuke stepped forward, but paused to look at his sister.

She smiled. "Kick ass." Without further prodding, he ran forward and knocked into Ryo in a flying tackle. They slammed into the wall a foot from Matt, but the blonde's attention was focused on his boyfriend, who had flipped Ichiro over his back and proceeded to break his nose.

"Nobody move!" They froze for a moment, and looked up at Mr. Hurashi. Tai stood up, and Daisuke climbed down from Ryo's back, where he'd been attempting to pull him to the ground. The principal pointed to Taichi and Daisuke. "You two, in my office now. Ryo, Ichiro, you two will report to the janitor, and mop this hallway until I'm ready to deal with the two of you."

He spun on his heel, and marched down the wall, leaving Tai and Dai to follow. They passed Jun and Sora, who smiled at them encouragingly, before moving to stand protectively by Matt. There were enough homophobes left in the hall to be a problem. 

He peered at them with uncertain blue eyes, then caught the smile on Jun's face. Her eyes were friendly and concerned. "We should get you to the nurse's office." He nodded, and let them hook an arm through each of his to lead him down the hall. "Does it hurt much?"

His expression baffled, he shook his head. "Not really. I don't think it's broken. Tai didn't really let them have a chance at me."

"That's good." They reached the door with 'Rika Akao, faculty nurse' labeled on the window. The females paused, and Jun looked up at him. "I'm glad that he's around to keep you out of trouble."

Matt and Sora were both surprised by the sincerity in her gaze and voice. He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry that I didn't get up the nerve to tell you about us. You deserved to know as much as anyone."

"It's forgiven, if you forgive me for making it so hard for the two of you to be together."

"Deal." He smiled, then hugged her. She pulled away quickly, angling her head back.

"You can hug me later, when you aren't dripping blood." He smiled, then opened the door to see the nurse. She turned to Sora with another smile. "Shall we go to class?"

"Absolutely." They fell into step beside each other, walking through the now-deserted hallways. "I think that this could be an interesting day."

"Most definitely." The smile passed between them was significant with hidden meaning, but neither spoke their feelings aloud. "Most definitely."

_______

__

May fate and the gods prevent me from falling for someone too like myself, or someone, as odd as it sounds, like Ken. His intelligence I can live with, his looks are definitely nice. But before, before Miya, he lacked a certain strength that I've only recently come to see.

Before, he was weaker. I could have dominated him in a relationship, and he would have lacked whatever it is that gives him the strength to assert himself now. I would have walked all over him, like I normally do, and he wouldn't have stopped me.

_______

Mr. Hurashi glared at them both, not bothering to sit in his chair. He was standing behind the desk, giving them a look that had them both ready to sink into their chairs. "Fighting in the middle of the hallway? Causing a disruption during class-time? And Daisuke, this is your second offense in two days."

The redhead hung his head, rubbing the bruise on his right knuckles with a dim satisfaction. He'd only managed to hit Ryo once, but he'd made it hurt, a piece of information that pleased him. Beside him, Tai was staring at the wall to Hurashi's right, refusing to meet his gaze.

"Mr. Yagami, would you like to explain exactly what happened?"

The brown gaze that met Hurashi's was defensive. "Ryo called Yama a 'fag' and punched him." 

The old man nodded, and then sighed. He pulled his chair out and sat down. "Even in today's world, there is much hate and anger. For fighting, you'll both get a day's suspension. We'll call it a defensive measure, and save you the week it would normally earn."

Tai looked up, surprised. Daisuke smiled, meeting the principal's gaze with understanding brown eyes. "Thank you, Mr. Hurashi." He stood up, and bowed, much as he had the day before."

"Don't thank me, young man. You're causing a lot of trouble this week, and I don't appreciate it. Do it again, and you're out for a week." He paused, and his eyes softened. "You can both get homework assignments from your teacher's and go home. I trust that Tai can drive you both home?"

The brunette nodded. He, too, bowed, then preceded Daisuke out of the office. They walked through the outer office, and into the hallway. "That was close."

Daisuke smiled. "I wonder who he was." It was a random thought, spoken softly, almost to himself.

"Wonder who who was?" Tai looked at him, then paused to get in his locker. The redhead waited for him before moving on. 

"I wonder who he cared for so much." Dark brown eyes flicked up to look into light brown. "He's tipping off my gaydar."

"Gaydar." Tai said the word condescendingly. "Let me tell you this. For the first couple of months, the 'gaydar' alert system is offline. If you can tell now, then you've been looking for a while, and I'll bet you've guessed incorrectly more than once."

"With Ken." Daisuke spoke easily, shrugging. "I see what I want to see, and very rarely care for the reality." He smiled. "I never would have guessed you and Matt, even as obvious as it seems now."

"You mean, us getting cornered in the hallway by a bunch of gay-hating idiots was your first clue?" Tai laughed. "Your gaydar is off, then."

Daisuke stopped at his locker, and took out his books. "Why don't we get our assignments, and then meet at your car in about fifteen minutes?"

"I'll see you in fifteen, then." The brunette made his way down the hall, and Daisuke sighed. He didn't want to sit at home by himself all day. He turned the corner, and grunted as he ran into another student. He smiled and closed his eyes. "I don't know why it should surprise me."

"I don't know why, either, since we do this every week." Iori sighed, and shifted his books. He hadn't dropped them for once. "Where are you going?"

"Tai and I got kicked out of school for fighting." The way that Iori's eyes lit up was comical. "Not with each other." There was a hesitation as neither moved to continue on their way. "How was your date?"

Daisuke swallowed as soon as the words were out of his mouth, and he tightened his grip on his books. He didn't really want to know. The sick feeling was back in the pit of his stomach as he waited for Iori's reply. The brunette shrugged. "The movie was okay, and then he took me home. He was very polite, and he even walked me to my door."

There was a blush staining his cheeks, and his gaze seemed to sparkle. Daisuke forced himself to grin. "Did you guys make another date, or is he going to call you?"

The question was followed by another shrug. "He's going to call me." The eyes that looked back up were a little more guarded. "I doubt he will, though. The whole evening was rather boring. I felt so awkward."

"He'll call." Daisuke's voice rang with confidence. "There's no way that he wouldn't. First dates are supposed to be kind of stiff and boring. After that, they get a little easier." He paused, trying to think of something that would make Iori feel a little better about his self.

Before he got a chance to, the brunette started to walk away. "Thanks, Dai, I appreciate it. It's always good to talk to you. Have a good day away from school."

"Bye, Iori." He started to walk away, but paused to look over his shoulder. He met green eyes with his own, and then the brunette turned the corner and was out of sight. He scanned the empty space with something akin to sadness. "Bye, Codes."

_______

__

When I was five, I had a turtle. I don't remember what kind, or where it came from, but it's name was Mr. Kubo. He didn't do tricks, and he didn't fetch, and he was really boring, but I remember spending hours at a time, staring at him as he moved slowly around the living room.

People say that I have a short attention span, but that's just because those people are really boring, or they're not talking about things that I like. Talk to me about soccer, or the Digital World, and you can have my attention for hours. Clothes and boys lose me within thirty seconds.

_______

Friday and Saturday passed in an uneventful blur. Daisuke remembered sleeping, eating, and playing video games. Ken called at one point, and asked him if he'd like to do something. It must have been Saturday, because he mentioned having a date with Miyako later that night.

Daisuke told him he couldn't leave the house, and then he told him about the fight at school, and being suspended. He kept most of the details to himself, including the conversation with Iori, and what had lead up to that. The genius sounded unsure of himself, and it took Daisuke an hour before he realized why.

On Sunday morning, he called Ken back and invited him out for lunch and a movie. He accepted eagerly, and Daisuke spent the morning staring at his closet. In the end, he just grabbed the first clean shirt and pants. Ken didn't need to be impressed, and he wouldn't see anyone else.

It was shortly after eleven when Jun knocked on his door, and he told her she could come in. He was playing on the computer. "Hey, squirt. What are you up to?" She gestured to his clothes. "This is the first time I've seen you dressed since Friday."

He shrugged, but turned to face her. "I'm having lunch with Ken." He didn't sound pleased by the prospect, and she frowned. Interpreting her look, he held up his hands. "We need to clear the air, without everyone around. We'll have lunch, take in a movie, and then spend the next hour with me crying about how unfair life is. And then we'll be friends."

"It's that simple, huh?" She smiled slightly, leaning back against the door. 

"Life is what you make it. Right now, I need things to be as simple as possible." He looked at her for a moment, and then raised an eyebrow. "Where are you going?"

She was wearing an ankle-length, floral print skirt, and a white blouse. "Sora and I are going shopping, and we plan on going into a couple of those expensive stores. If you don't look like you can afford anything, they follow you around, and it's annoying."

He nodded, but the tilting at the corners of his mouth gave him away. "And that's the only reason you're dressing up? You're not trying to impress anybody?"

Her gaze dropped for a moment, and then she straightened up. "Why would I need to impress anyone? I don't need to attract attention, because I don't plan on dating for a couple of years, at least."

"Right." He nodded that same knowing nod, and grinned. "It's pointless, anyway." He turned back to the computer, and started a new game. "She'd feel the same about you whether you were dressed up, or wearing a burlap bag."

With his back to her, he didn't see her blush, but he did hear her clear her throat before she answered. "Whatever, Dai." Her use of his name made him smile. It was as good as an admission that he'd guessed right.

"Have fun, Jun." He said it sincerely, but they both heard the double-meaning under his words.

"Thanks, squirt." She made a move to leave, but paused on the threshold. "Have fun today, Dai."

"I will." He waved at her without turning around, but she caught his slight smile in the reflection from the computer screen. "Don't forget to buy me something."

"I won't. Buy you anything, that is." Someone knocked on the door, and she went to answer it, knowing that it was Sora before she had opened the door. "Hi." She smiled at the brunette, watching as brown eyes assessed her for a moment before flicking up to meet her gaze.

"Good morning. Are you ready?" The redhead nodded, grabbed her purse, and skipped out the door. "I figured we could take my car, and head straight to the mall. We can hit the major department stores later, but I don't want to get caught in the early evening rush."

"Sounds like you have it all worked out." Jun smiled. "What about lunch? I brought enough to eat at just about anywhere, and my mom lent me some money so I could buy Daisuke a birthday present."

"It's Wednesday, right?" Sora asked as they walked through the lobby to the car. "I haven't decided yet what I want to buy him."

"Neither have I." Jun shrugged, and opened her car door. She waited for Sora to get in before she did. "I was thinking about what Dai liked, but he said that he doesn't really want anything this year."

The brunette smiled sadly. "Poor Dai. I didn't see him Friday at lunch, but someone said that he had to stay after class. I thought that maybe he didn't feel up to sitting with us."

Jun shook her head. "He and Ryo were throwing spit wads at each other during the class right before lunch. He had to stay after to clean up. His lunch detention with Iori was postponed until Tuesday."

"Do you know who Toshio Nishida is?" Sora asked the question as she turned a corner and entered traffic.

"He's the guy in our class that got in a lot of trouble because his girlfriend found out that not only had he slept with other girls, but other guys as well."

"Right. He graduates this year when we do."

"What about him? He's not making moves on Dai, is he? Because I know that Daisuke knows better than that."

"Not Daisuke. I heard that he's making a play for Iori."

Jun growled in her throat. "He better watch who he messes with. I know that Takeru and Daisuke both look after him, and Matt's little brother can fight pretty well."

"That won't stop him from trying. I always thought that Iori was mature, but he seems taken in."

"I'll tell Daisuke, and he can have a talk with Iori."

Sora shook her head. "He knows, but he doesn't want to be the one to tell him, on the off chance that it could hurt their friendship."

"Hasn't he learned yet that it's better that it comes out sooner rather than later?"

"As much as I hate to say it, and it sounds like I'm trying to make myself feel better: if anyone had told you before you saw them together, you would have hated them, and refused to believe it."

The redhead sighed. "You're right. And he can't go after Toshio, because it might be taken the wrong way, or get back to him. Daisuke's right. Life is too complicated."

"That happens." Sora tapped her fingers on the steering wheel and looked over. "Everything will work out, eventually."

______

__

On second thought, talking about boys could be fun. I used to ignore them, because I didn't want to explain my interest in my own gender. From now on, I can stare with Hikari and Miya, when a cute guy happens by.

On third thought, now that they've both got others, does that mean that I'll be the only one still looking for someone? That's a depressing thought. The last single guy of our group.

______

"Hey, Ken." They had agreed to meet at a restaurant near the bus-stop. Ken had arrived first, and Daisuke had been predictably late. The redhead smiled at his friend, glad despite himself to have a chance to spend time alone with him. "Why don't we order, and then talk?" 

The blue-haired genius nodded, and waited for the redhead to pick a seat. They ended up in a table at the window, sitting across from each other. "I'm glad that you could make it today. Why did your parents decide to let you out?"

"To tell the truth, I'm not grounded. I just didn't want to leave yesterday. I spent the entire afternoon playing video games and eating junk food."

Ken looked down at the top of the table, his expression hurt. "I'm sorry to be such a bother." His whole demeanor turned into that of a rejected puppy, and Daisuke's heart went out to him. 

"It's not that. I was being selfish, and moody. I think it's sympathy mood swings from Jun." He laughed at his own joke. "Typical me, I didn't realize what a prick I was being until afterwards, and by then, you had left for places elsewhere."

Violet eyes peered at him with pained curiosity. "What made you call me this morning?" Daisuke crossed his arms on the table, and met his gaze.

"I realized what exactly I was feeling, and I decided that you had to know exactly how I feel, and why." He leaned across forward earnestly, and opened his mouth to continue when the waitress sat their drinks in front of them.

The blue-haired teen took a sip of his orange juice before requesting that he go on.

"First, I'd like to apologize. I was a real jerk on Monday, and Tuesday, and Wednesday, and every other day last week." Ken smiled at his humility. "And second, I'd like to apologize for trying to make you feel guilty about not telling me. I've known for a while that you liked Miya, but I've been denying it."

"I hadn't noticed." Daisuke rolled his eyes at the interruption, but smiled.

"My biggest problem was that I was very, very jealous. Not because you were dating her, or because you were in love with her, but because you would be spending the time you spent with me, with her. You wouldn't have time for me, and you'd be spending more time with the others, and not me. I'd be stuck all by myself, while everyone else is dating."

"I wouldn't do that to you, Dai."

"I know that, silly. For a genius, you don't listen too well." He sighed, sitting back. "I know that that was all paranoia. I'm okay now. They're all still my friends, too, even though I can be a big jerk at times." He looked down at the table, then met Ken's violet gaze again. "I'm sorry that I had so little faith in our friendship that I would allow this to come between us."

"It's okay, Daisuke." Ken smiled, his hands tapping the table top. He paused for a moment, then smirked. "Does that mean that the whole kiss thing was-?"

Daisuke laughed, cutting him off quickly, before he could complete that thought. "It was a last-ditch effort to stop everything from changing. If I could have kept you tied to me, then nothing would have had to change, and we could have been friends just like before."

"Are you that resistant to change? It's not always bad when your friends get their own lives, Dai. It can actually be a good thing. It expands the whole group, and it can lead to some grand new adventures." His voice was airy, dreamy, and his eyes took on a vacant expression. Daisuke stared at him for a moment, studying his face as he sighed happily.

When his heart rate stayed normal, and he had no problems breathing, he grinned, and then laughed out loud. "The truth will set you free." They laughed together, and then started talking about old times.

_______

__

Maybe if there wasn't such a stigma on being single, it wouldn't be so bad. Stigma. Big word. I got it from Ken, when we started discussing the kissing episode, and I told him about Iori and Toshio. It was easy, at first, to talk to him about it all. 

But when he asked me about Toshio, I kept picturing this big nose and beady eyes, swooping down out of the sky and engulfing Iori in a birdlike beak. Like prey.

_______


	7. Three months later, and the heart can st...

__

Three months have passed since I made a fool of myself over Ken, and it's been a different world. Toshio has only invited Iori out twice since that first time, and both times, he made sure that I was present when doing so. I don't think Iori's figured it out, yet, but I have a good guess as to why that jerk keeps coming around.

Tai and Matt have set records on making out, and Jun finally came out and told me that she was gay. Sora hasn't figured it out yet, but it's only a matter of time. Ken and Miya have invited me out several times, so that I wouldn't get lonely without lover boy, and we're going shopping together on Friday, for Christmas presents. 

________

Jun looked up from her Chemistry book, and smiled at Tai and Matt. They were laughing quietly at the end of her row, and the teacher kept turning around to give them dirty looks. It served him right, putting them together. It was common knowledge that they disrupted every class they had together, either by kissing and making out, or by making fun of everything and anything to the point of getting kicked out of class.

Finally, out of desperation, the teacher stood over their desk, and demanded that they part. They did so with morose glances, and long-suffering sighs. Most of the class snickered behind their hands, but a few in the back sneered, glaring at the couple with disgust and anger. Ryo and Ichiro were among them.

She looked over her shoulder, and met Ryo's gaze with her own. He snarled at her, them turned to face the wall, pointedly ignoring her. Her smile remained in place as she turned back around to pay attention to the teacher. Beside her, her lab partner finished writing his notes on a 3x5 card, and looked up, his blue eyes inviting. 

"What are you doing this weekend?" His gaze was intense, but she shook her head.

"I have plans with a few friends. Are you hitting the party scene?" He nodded, running a hand through his dark hair, and eyeing her assessingly. 

"Want to skip out on your friends, and come out with me?" Despite the cocky assurance in her voice, he was serious about his invitation. She laughed, and shook her head again. "I understand. Have fun." The bell rang, and he stood up and left. She was a little longer in gathering her stuff, and returning them to her bag.

By the time she had everything together, there was only one other student in the room. "Hey, Matt. What's up?" The blue eyes that met hers were slightly pained, but the look was replaced by a look of cool composure.

"Nothing much. What's new in your life?" He made to leave, his knuckles clenching around the books in his hands. She put a hand out to stop him from leaving.

"What's the matter, Yama?" She'd been hanging around he and Tai often enough to know when something was wrong in their little world. He sighed, looking away as his eyes watered. 

"I can't tell my father, and Tai wants us to." His voice was angry and frustrated. "He's the only parent I have. He had Kari and his mother on his side. If my father doesn't accept me, then I have no place to live, and no parent."

"You'd still have Tai, and he loves you no matter what. You can't ask for much more than that, Matt, to be accepted for everything that you are, without exception."

He nodded. "You're right. I just wish that he'd be a little more patient with me."

"I'm trying, Yama." Tai stood in the doorway, his eyes dark and miserable. "I'm trying, but I hate having to sneak around him, still. Everyone else in the world knows, but him. And we spend nearly every weekend over there, and it gets hard."

"I know, Tai. It's not easy for me, either." Tai opened his arms, and the brunette walked into them, wrapping his arms around his waist. "Give me a little more time, and then we can buy a billboard and announce it to the whole city."

"Deal." Tai kissed the top of his head, and then winked at Jun. She smiled back, and walked past them as they kissed each other, Tai's hands cupping the back of Matt's head, his fingers locked in his hair. They moved farther into the room, and shut the door, and she laughed. The teacher would have quite a surprise when he returned to his room.

"What's so funny?" Sora sidled up next to her, smiling. "Did I miss something?"

"Not really." Jun smiled, her day complete now that they were walking together toward the exit doors. With a sudden decision, she stopped the brunette, placing a hand on her arm and turning their bodies so that hey could face each other. "Do you have plans for tonight?"

Sora shrugged, her eyes narrowing in confusion. "No, why?"

"Would you like to go to the movies with me this evening?" The redhead waited impatiently, drawing her hand back and curling her fingers into her palms. "On a date?"

The brown eyes that met hers were shocked, but Sora smiled. "I would love to." 

"I'll pick you up at six." They smiled at each other, and then laughed. Jun sighed in relief. "That was so much harder than I thought it'd be."

"I can't believe that you actually asked me." They laughed, and linked arms as they left the building.

_________

__

Getting over the first crush is actually a lot easier than everyone says it is. I should know, since it took me less than seven days to go from being madly in love with Ken, to thinking that he and Miya **did** make a good couple

I wish that I could be that open-minded about all the people that my friends are dating. But it's not a possibility, especially when I realized why Ken was so easy to get over

__________

Daisuke smiled as his sister and Sora walked through the double doors at the front of the school. They were grinning and laughing like idiots, and he could tell by the look of overflowing joy on Sora's face that his sister had finally gained the nerve to ask her out. Things were looking up for his sister.

He put his books away, not bothering with the pretense of taking any of them home with him. He never studied, anyway, so it wasn't like he'd need them. Instead of going out the front doors, he started down a side corridor that would take him to the rear entrance, by the soccer field. He didn't have practice, but he knew he'd be able to find some peace and quiet.

As he rounded a corner, he heard two familiar voices, and he paused just out of sight. With a sinking feeling he peeked around the row of lockers that were lined against the wall, and peered at Iori and Toshio, standing in the middle of the vacated hallway.

"I'm sorry that I didn't call sooner, Iori. Things just got so hectic, and I couldn't find the time to breathe, let alone think about trying to get my life back on track. Forgive me?" Daisuke closed his eyes, and leaned against the wall. The air was suddenly thin, and he felt his lungs begin to ache in the effort to draw air inside.

"It's okay, Toshio. We both have lives that we have to live, and I understand that they don't always mesh." Iori's voice was reasonable, and soft. Daisuke could imagine his eyes, a tender green as he smiled in empathy and sympathy. "I just wanted to thank you for sending my mother a card for her birthday. I don't know how you knew, but she appreciated it."

"It's not a problem, Iori. Excuse me, I have a meeting I'm going to be late for. I'll call you this weekend, or catch up with you on Monday."

"Okay." Daisuke listened to the sound of retreating footsteps, and then held his breath as footsteps headed his way. 

"Daisuke." The voice was smug, and he looked up into Toshio's blue eyes. They were light, like a cloudless day. His smile was smug and knowing. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough." He glared at the blonde, his eyes dark. "You need to stop this now, before he gets hurt."

"Stop what? Don't think your little friend is good enough to really attract my attention?"

"You and I both know that that's not it, though your reference to him as my 'little friend' does speak volumes. I know what you're doing, Nishida, and it's not happening."

"If you know so much, Daisuke, then you know how to stop me." His blue eyes were suggestive, and the redhead quelled the urge to vomit at the insinuation in his voice. 

"I know of a way. Hurt him, and I'll beat the living shit out of you, Nishida."

"I'm so scared, Dai." The blonde's eyes dipped partially closed, and he licked his lips seductively. "I know a few *nicer* ways to get my attention from sweet Iori. Threatening me is getting you nowhere, love. All I ask for is one night. Then you and your friend are free of me."

"Fuck off, you bastard. I'm not going to add to his pain by being the reason that he discovers that you're an asshole."

"Then back off, Daisuke. I'm not done playing with him yet." Toshio's face was contorted into scorn, his eyes bright with anger. He flicked his hair back in a casual gesture, and backed away, his smirk firmly in place. "Think about my offer, Daisuke. I can wait."

He walked away, leaving Daisuke with his fists cleched in rage, his pupils narrowed as he considered all the possible ways of killing the blonde. There was no way that he could stand by and let Iori be hurt. The brunette was too innocent, too young, to sweet, too naive. His heart would be broken, and, whether he knew it or not, Daisuke would be at blame. 

He sighed, pushing away from the wall, trying to shake off his rage and disgust so that he could function normally. He couldn't remember what he was doing with the anger clouding his mind, and he didn't relish the thought of having to retrace his steps to recover whatever it was that he was forgetting.

Somebody came around the corner, and he bumped into Iori, bringing his hands up quickly to keep them both on their feet. "Daisuke? What are you still doing here?" Green eyes peered at him in concern, and he found himself staring down at the brunette, his own eyes focusing on his lips, and the light blush that stained his cheeks. 

"Dai? Are you okay?" A pale hand reached up, and gently felt his forehead for a temperature. He closed his eyes at the cool touch, leaning forward slightly. "Come on." The hand moved away from his skin, and a thin arm wrapped around his waist with surprising strength. "I'll walk you outside. Maybe the fresh air will do you good."

Iori led him down the hall, supporting some of his weight, while Daisuke tried to keep himself from swooning. His imagination be damned, having his side melded to Iori's was enough to make him want to scream in frustration and pleasure at the same time. 

They reached the doors with a minimum of fuss, and walked out into the sunshine. Iori leaned Daisuke against the wall, and moved away, eyeing him worriedly. "Are you okay? How long have you been sick?"

"My whole life." With a tired sigh, Daisuke slid to the ground, pushing his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. He leaned his head on his arms, effectively cutting out visions of the school grounds and Iori standing in front of him. "It just keeps getting worse and worse as time goes on."

"Daisuke, you're not making any sense." The brunette heaved a frustrated sigh, and Daisuke could picture him running his hand through his hair. "What's the matter?" 

His voice was no longer soft and coddling. It had taken on a decidedly impatient tone, and Daisuke winced in response. With a deep breath, he forced himself to look up with a cheeky grin. "Nothing's wrong, Codes. The world's a bright and dandy place."

He stood up, and spread his arms wide, his normal confidence reappearing with each gesture and sentence.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Codes, but I'm fine. Hell, depression has nothing on me. I always bounce back, remember?"

If anything, his friend looked more angry by his sudden shift than relieved. "You are such a conceited and selfish jerk, Dai. Gods, there are times that I wonder why I worry at all! It doesn't matter who it is, you always manage to make the people around you feel used and manipulated."

Daisuke stared at him in shock, taken aback by his onslaught.

"You need to grow up, Dai. The world doesn't revolve around you and your problems, you know. Other people have lives, lives that they want to enjoy and share with you, if you ever got your head out of your ass to see."

Without waiting for a reply, the brunette swung on his heel and walked away, leaving Daisuke slack-jawed behind him, tears filling his eyes.

________

__

Hell, getting over Ken was the easy part. The difficult thing was remembering to hide the grimace when either him or Takeru would kiss their girlfriends. I can't help thinking how squishy girls are. I ignore the whole Jun/Sora thing, because she's my sister, and it's just wrong to visualize her relationship in the first place.

I mean, come on. It's just wrong. What do you do when they PMS? They bleed for seven days out of the month, and if that's not gross enough, you can tell when it's happening because they turn into 'the bitch of the century', each outdoing each other to make others miserable.

_________
    
    Jun was ecstatic. She and Sora would be celebrating their first date by going to dinner and a movie, then returning to Sora's house. Her mother wasn't home, and they were planning on renting several movies to keep themselves occupied. She checked the mirror one last time, and laughed at her own vanity. It was common knowledge that Sora didn't care about how she looked. Even Daisuke had commented on it several times, before she was even certain herself.

She smiled, her eyes lighting up at the prospects for her future. She knew she should feel awkward, or nervous, or something, considering that this would be her first date, ever, with another female. The prospect was more thrilling than frigthening, more exciting than scary. 

There was a knock on the door, and she twirled out, waving at her mother as she opened the door. The brown eyes that met hers were warm, and more than a little uncertain. "Hi."

Sora's voice was soft, sending shivers down her spine. "Hey, beautiful. Come on in. I still have to get my shoes and coat."

The brunette entered the apartment, holding her purse to her chest as she glanced over Jun once. Her eyes lit up appreciatively, and she blushed when Jun caught her looking. "You look nice."

"You always say that." There was a hint of flirtatious teasing in the redhead's voice, as she bent over gracefully, and slipped her shoes on her feet. "But I know you mean it, so thank you."

"Your welcome."

"So, where are you girls off to?" Jun's mother stepped into the hall, drying a plate absent-mindedly as she gave them a vague smile. "Going boy-hunting at the mall?"

"Actually, Mom, we're going on a date. Together. Just the two of us." Jun waited, her fingers clenching unconsciously on the material of her coat.

"Really. That's nice." Her mother smiled, her eye showing her confusion as she moved back into the kitchen. "Have fun."

"Thanks, Mom." Jun rolled her eyes, took Sora's hand, and they were quickly on their way. "Do you want me to drive?"

"I can." 

"I was thinking that, since I was the one that asked, it was kind of my responsibility." Sora smiled at her, placing a finger over her lips to hush her for a moment. 

"I'll drive. I've been dreaming of this for a long time, and I want it to be perfect."

"And you driving will make it perfect." Jun stared at her, mesmerized by the affection and darkness in her eyes.

"Yes. This way, I can guarantee that we won't be driven off the road with your driving." Jun gave an outraged 'humph', but was quickly silenced by a soft kiss. "Don't argue." 

"Mmm." She sighed dreamily, stepping into the elevator as it arrived at their floor and opened its doors. "That's an effective way to win arguments."

Sora smiled at her, running a hand through Jun's hair. "It only works on some people."

"You can work it on me, any day." They reached the ground floor, and the doors open. They continued to stare at each other a moment longer, and then a shrill whistle caught their attention.

"Hey, hot mama. Go baby, go baby." Jun turned to Daisuke and moved to hit him, but he jumped back too quickly, dodging her. He made for the stairwell door. "Make sure that you don't lead my sister on, Sora!"

"Gods, Daisuke!" He disappeared up the stairs, leaving his sister mortified as she turned around and found all the people in the lobby staring at her. Sora laughed, her eyes amused. "I can't believe that he can be such a little runt at times."

"He's a good kid, Jun."

"So you've said before. But on days like today, I find it hard to remember that." The brunette held out her hand, and Jun took it, feeling her anger deflate as they locked their fingers together. "Of course, maybe you could persuade me to see things your way."

"Vixen."

"You love it."

They moved into the night, laughing.

_________

__

PMS aside, girls really ain't that bad, as friends. Kari and Miya have made it a point to ask me shopping. As if I want to sit around, and listen to them croon about Ken and TS. Wouldn't that be fun? Or listen to them list all the people that they'd love to set me up with, or talk about who's dating who, and all the stupid things that girls talk about.

I love my friends. Some more than others. Sometimes, I sit back, and wonder why they still include me. I'm more annoying to them than anything, and they rarely have the patience to put up with me without telling me to shut up, or tone down, or whatever. Of course, Ken's still on my side. He still agrees with me when I argue with the others, so that's a plus side. Miyako just pretends that she's mad, and then she ignores him for maybe ten minutes before they're kissing again. Gag me.
    
    _________

Two weeks later...

Daisuke looked around the crowded living room, and sighed in frustration. He didn't really want to be there. Tai and Matt had dragged him along to some party, and he was forced to mingle with the rest of the guests. He knew why they had included him, and he didn't blame them one bit. He had tagged along on most of Takeru's and Hikari's dates, and he knew that they needed to get out wihhout having him hanging over their shoulders. Ken and Miyako were going to some concert with Ken's parents, and Jun and Sora were going out, again.

His sister was in heaven. She spent most of her days and evenings with Sora. It seemed as if he couldn't talk to his sister without her girlfriend hanging around. It's not that he didn't like Sora, or think that they made a wonderful couple. He adored the fact that she made his sister happier than she ever had been, but he felt left out. Before, he and Jun had both been disasters on the dating market. Now he was alone, fending for himself while all he wanted to do was escape into a dark hole to lick his wounds.

"Hello, Daisuke." He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. With a dark look, he turned to Toshio, who was regarding him in quiet contemplation. "You know, you're really good looking when you're in your own little world." The redhead said nothing, crossing his arms and leaning away from the blonde. "What I wouldn't pay to see you when you're studying."

"You can watch me study if you leave him be." His voice was curt, unfriendly.

"Why do you have to bring him into everything? It's not like our little thing will truly affect him in the long run. In three years, he'll forget that I even exist. Just wait it out. I've almost got what I want. Be a little more patient, and you can pick up the pieces."

"Bastard. That's all you are, Nishida. You're a lowly, scum-sucking, slime-covered, dung-digging, muck-driving, squandering, corroding, degenerate, depraved, wanton, lewd, wicked, salacious, licentious, lascivious, dirty, waste of space, obscene piece of shit with no noticable human quality other than the fact that you pollute the same air that we breathe."

He drew in a deep breath, ready to continue. He'd been raiding his thesaurus, looking for words that vented his anger, hoping that he'd have a chance to use at least a couple of them. An applause sounded around them, and he blinked, realizing that the room had gone silent, and that everyone, including Tai, Matt, and Toshio, was staring at him in amazement. "Go, Dai!" Someone shouted from their audience, and he blushed, before returning his gaze to the stunned blonde. 

"I've had my say. Stay away from me, and stay away from my friends." With that, he turned on his heel and stalked out of the room, leaving the crowd of party-goers to look around uncomfortably, uncertain whether they should continue to party, or if their argument signalled the end. 

"Daisuke?" He heard Tai and Matt follow him, but didn't stop as he left the house and the returning noise for the solace of the front lawn. 

"No." He didn't know what he was refusing, he was simply aware of trying to escape something. He paused on the sidewalk lining the street in front of the house, and turned to face his friends. "It's not even him." He waved his arm in the general direction of the house. "It's not that fact that he's trying to screw with my life."

"Then what is it?" Matt looked at him calmly, taking hold of Tai's arm to stop him from approaching the redhead. 

"It's Iori. The fact that he should know better. He's smarter than this, and he knows better. I know he knows better than to believe anything that that bastard could say. It's not fair, and it's not right. It's not."

"Daisuke, does Iori know?" Tai looked between them, his brow furrowed. After a moment of silence, his eyes widened, then settled on Daisuke has he started to cry.

"Of course not. Codes thinks that I'm selfish, egotistic, self-seeking, conceited, arrogant, self-centered, egocentric, self-absorbed, self-serving, self-indulgent, narcissistic, egoistic..." He trailed off, waving his arms in desperation. "I can't think of the other words. There are a ton of them, all of them fitting what he thinks of me. It's all about me, all about my problems. He told me that."

Tai moved his arm, and held tightly to Matt's hand as they waited for Daisuke to have his say.

"How can I tell him, when he can't even stand the sight of me? He walks on the other side of the hall, and avoids me. When we sit at the table at lunch, he sits as far away from me as possible, and won't talk to me. He keeps it to himself, and I don't think the rest of them have noticed, but I do. He wants nothing to do with me, and I can't blame him. I made such an ass of myself, and I haven't been very nice about Toshio. I can't tell him the truth, but I know that he knows that I'm cold when that bastard's around."

"I'll tell him." Tai volunteered. "I heard what he said to you. So did Matt. We'll vouch for you, Dai."

He shook his head quickly. "You can't do that. It'll embarrass him. If everyone else knows, then he'll be mortified, ashamed."

"So, we let him get hurt? We just wait for Toshio to pull out his ace, and play it, and watch as he gets hurt? Not acceptable, Dai." Matt was adamant as he stared at the younger teen, his blue eyes hard.

"We don't have a lot of choice, Yamato." Tai squeezed his hand, and looked at Daisuke with understanding. "We'll give you more time, Dai, but don't wait too long. You have to get him away from Toshio before he gets hurt. Find a way, any way, but do it soon."

__________

__

Parties are fun, if you have your friends around. Unless all said friends really aren't that great of friends, or if they're all making out with their respective boyfriends and girlfriends. Couplehood bliss is a blinder, like a hood over the eyes to the rest of the world.

If you're deliriously happy, then you'll only notice those that are equally happy, or the really depressed. If you're really depressed, all you see are the happy couples. It's like some horrible signal, waiting for you to explode from jealousy.

_______

Another week, another party. Jun smiled as she snuggled into the couch beside her girlfriend, giggling breathlessly. Sora wrapped an arm around her waist and grinned, laughing when the redhead put her nose into her hair and breathed deeply. "You smell wonderful!"

"Are you having fun?" Around them, the party continued, the music blaring as dozens of hot and sweatty teens moved on the makeshift dance floor of the living room carpet. The house belonged to the parents of a cheerleader, who were vacationing in Bermuda. Cups, and half empty plates littered the floor and tables with complete disregard to the empty trashcans in each room.

"Loads. I think I ate too much." Her sigh was satisfied, and she nuzzled the brunette behind the ear before leaving a trail of kisses down her neck into the open collar of her shirt. "You're beautiful."

"Hmmn." Sora closed her eyes, her lips curving in happiness as she felt Jun pull her closer, holding her gently as she sucked gently on the skin where her shoulder met her neck. "I love you."

"I know." Somebody jostled them, and Jun lifted her head, ignoring the room around them as the song changed. "Let's go outside. Please."

Sora nodded her agreement, and watched as her girlfriend slid to her feet carefully, avoiding stepping on anyone, especially Sora. The brunette stood up, grabbed Jun's hand, and headed in the direction of the back yard. They'd have a couple of minutes alone together, and then rejoin the party, or they could sneak around the front and leave.

"What's up, love?" Sora smiled as Jun embraced her, and wrapped her own arms around the redhead's waist. "I love it when you're affectionate."

"That's good, because I plan on being affectionate for a while. I wanted to talk to you." There was a pause as they stood in cool darkness, holding each other close. "I wanted to tell you something, without the interruptions, and noise."

Another pause, and Jun started to tremble, her head spinning. "What, love?" Sora's voice was quiet, comforting. In answer, the redhead started to kiss her neck again, pausing at the collar of her shirt, then following as it trailed down to hang at the top of her breasts. She felt the brunette inhale sharply, and smiled.

"I love you." Sora froze, her hands stilling as they trailed patterns on Sora's back. "I just wanted to let you know."

"Are you sure?" She left unfrozen the reminder of Jun's heartbreak when she found out about Matt and Tai. She didn't mention drying the other girl's tears, or the fact that it could be rebounding, could be confusion, could be a lot of things other than love. 

"You don't define me. You don't own me. My existence does not depend on you, my life does not hang on you." Her words were whispered against the pale skin of Sora's neck, her breath brushing with warm tingles as she wound her hands up, and into brown locks. "I can live without you, but I don't want to. It's entirely my choice. My words are mine, and I do not hinge my self on a song. I see the future in your eyes, and I hear eternity in your voice, and I want to spend the rest of forever touching your skin."

She kissed her jaw, her chin, the small indentation below her bottome lip, the corner of her mouth, her cheek, the corner of her eye, the bridge of her nose, and finally, slowly, and with an intense look into Sora's eyes, she kissed her lips, melding breath with breath, and tongue with tongue.

"If I had never kissed your lips, I could have lived my life without knowing, but having kissed them once, I will never forget, and the thought of you alone will be enough to sustain me for the rest of my life. I could live without you, but I don't want to." She repeated, staring into watery brown eyes. 

Sora smiled as her vision began to swim, and she leaned forward, brushing her curled lips against Jun's in a slight touch. "I love you. You won't ever have to live without me. I promise you this, Motomiya Jun. I'll love you from now until forever."

"You don't have to promise me anything." Jun pulled back, and leaned their foreheads together. Her smile was serene, content, secure. "I don't need your words, love. Remember? I can see the future in your eyes."

They kissed again, their smiles copying each other as they pressed their mouths together. "And eterninty in my voice. I love you."

"Let go!" They broke apart and looked up as two shapes hurtled out the back door and spilled onto the lawn. At first, it looked like Tai and Matt. The large-haired brunette and stylish blonde, being led by a fist in his hair. "Let go!"

"I warned you. I told you." The light that spilled from the door shone on his face as he turned to face it, taking his features out of the shadows. Daisuke glared down at Toshio as he let go of the blonde and pushed him backwards. 

_________

__

Four years ago, I would have traded my life for that of my friends. I offered myself as a meal to some big, ugly Digimon on the agreement that the Kaiser would let my friends go. 

A short time after that, when Ken was becoming my best friend, and we were fighting Mummymon, and Aruchenemon, and we were waiting for Malomyotismon to show up, I pushed Raidramon to save Ken from that bastard Owikawa (the kids were just an added bonus).

The point: you don't mess with the friends of Motomiya Daisuke. I will find you.

_________

Daisuke sighed as he looked around, taking in the overflowing ashtrays, the spilled pop, and food mashed into the fabric of the carpet. He was leaning against the wall, and watching as his friends danced, or talked, or made out in their own corners. Kari and Takeru were in the middle of the floor, amidst the grinding bodies, smiling as they moved against each other. 

Ken and Miyako were on a corner of the couch, sharing a plate of chips. Tai and Matt were involved in a heavy make-out session on the opposite corner, most of their movements shielded by Matt's body over Tai's. The redhead grinned as they pulled apart breathlessly, then resumed kissing.

With a quick look at his watch, he pushed away from the wall, and left the room, moving past people carefully, smiling and waving at those that acknowledged him. He found the hostest, a cheerleader with the tips of her blonde hair died blue.

In the noise, he didn't bother with whole sentences. "Bathroom?" She smiled and pointed at the staircase, barely visible through the bodies gathered at the base. "Thanks!" She smiled again, then started talking to somebody else. 

He shook his head with a smile. He couldn't imagine what kind of conversation would carry over the noise. The people moved as he made his way to the stairs and up. There were four doors, and the one at the end was open, showing a shell-pink shower curtain, and pink carpet. 

The hall was empty, and the music was muted by the floor. He made his way along gingerly. There were voices coming out of some of the rooms, and he knew that many couples had moved upstairs for more privacy. People like Tai and Matt didn't care who watched them. He was at the bathroom door, when the voice in the room on the right stopped him.

He paused, but their was silence for a moment. Then, "It's okay, baby. Just lie back, and let me do the work." He gritted his teeth in disgust. It would figure that Toshio would have found a diversion. 

Their was a muffled noise, and Daisueks stepped towards the bathroom again. He stopped, looking at the door as something in the room sounded like a scuffle. He waited glaring at the panels of the door.

"Damn it! Knock it off, you ungratefull little-" There was a grunt, and Daisuke turned to face the door more fully. More sounds of wrestling ensued, and he curled his fist. "You'll pay for that you slut."

"Get off me, Toshio!" Daisuke flew through the door, not bothering to pause as he crossed the room, grabbed the blonde by his hair, and dragged him bodily from the bed, out the door, down the hall, the stairs, and through the throng of people. Nobody seemed to notice, as most of them had moved back into the front of the house.

"Let go!" He stormed out the back door, and drew the blonde down into the darkness. "Let go!"

I warned you. I told you." He pushed the blonde away, glaring at him in disgust. "You bastard. I should have known. You almost had what you wanted, right? Fuck!" Instead of moving forward, and beating the life from the bastard as he was wont to, he clenched his fist, and tried to bring himself under control. "I didn't even think about it that day."

Toshio massaged his head, and then glared at the redhead. "I told you. All you had to do was give me one night, and I would have left him alone. But he wasn't even worth a single night to you!"

"I didn't want to hurt him! You don't exactly win a person's love by sleeping with the person their dating! I was hoping that he'd open his eyes, and realize what a fuck you are!"

"Oh, yes. What a little saint you are! Lusting after him while calling yourself a friend. You sound so innocent, but the truth of the matter is you just want him for yourself!"

"I never said I didn't! The difference being that I wouldn't have hurt him, I wouldn't have been trying to force him onto the bed, and I certainly wouldn't have been ready to hit him when you burst into the room. Not only do you have the gall to try to rape him above my head, but you hit him, and made him cry!"

"Poor, poor Iori. That little bastard knew what I was after, and he wasn't shy about giving it until we got up there!" Daisuke glared at him for an instant, and then jumped at him, on him. He raised his fist, and punched him hard as he forced him to the ground. Kneeling over him, a bruise forming on the blonde's pale face already, he snarled.

"You used him. He's young, he was lonely. He needed somebody that would care for him, be there for him. He didn't deserve to be used by you. You had no right to do that to him." His voice was a low growl as he brought his fist down again. He gripped the front of the blonde's face and pulled his face within inches of his. "If you ever look at him cross-eyed, I will hunt you down, cut off your penis, and stitch it up your ass."

He loosened his grip, and let the blonde fall back on the ground, staring up at him with frightened eyes. Daisuke stood up, stumbling backwards a few feet. Their was an applause, and he turned to see his sister and Sora standing in the shadows twenty feet away. He wiped at his forehead self-consciously, then looked up as a shadow blocked the light from the doorway.

Green eyes peered at him wordlessly, taking in the crumpled form on the ground, and the dirt on the knees of his pants. "Codes?" Daisuke stepped forward, wanting to apologize, or say something, anything, that could make the younger boy feel better. The brunette looked at him, met his gaze for a second, and then fled back inside the house.

He watched him go wtih a sinking feeling in his chest. "Daisuke?" He looked at his sister, and followed her arm to where she was holding hands with Sora. "What happened?"

"You know how easy I got over Ken?" She nodded. "I don't think that this is going to be that easy." He shrugged, and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'll see you at home."

She nodded again, and watched as he turned away. She felt Sora squeeze her hand, and a tear slipped down her cheek. Sora hugged her, and let her cry the tears that her brother couldn't form. In the darkness, he turned around the corner, and Toshio stood up carefully. "Why the hell can't things work out?"

"Because sometimes, love, things take time. Be patient." Sora closed her eyes as Jun's tears dampened her shirt, and the skin of her shoulder.


	8. Bittersweet fulfillment

_Love is a pain in the ass. I don't care what anyone else says. It is not fun, it is not good. It's a tearing, ripping, flaming pain in the midsection, something like being stabbed with a hot knife, and having the damn wound salted time and again. As if the pain of once wasn't enough, it goes on, and on, and on, and on, and on…_

_I could have spent the day with you, and laughed the whole day long. I could have spent the day with you, and filled my life with song. I could have spent the day with you, and celebrated life. I could have spent the day with you, and saved myself this strife._

_I could have spent an eternity with Codes, and it wouldn't have been long enough._

___________

Daisuke stared ahead, his mind simply drifting along. He ignored the lecture, ignored his friends, though the second was harder. They kept asking questions about what had happened at the party. He didn't want to think about it, much less talk about it. A dull pain had settled in his chest, and the less he thought, the easier it was to deal with. He'd had the misfortune of showing up at school at the same time as Iori, and he'd watched the brunette glance at him before walking away quickly, leaving him with his mouth hanging open, his mind trying in vain to say something.

Miyako kept tapping his arm, her violet eyes concerned. He smiled slightly, ignoring her. There was a thought. Ken had the same color of eyes as his girlfriend. Sweet, huh? He thought of Hikari, and Takeru, and tried to find something they had in common. Their brothers, for one. They both had angels for Digimon, that's two. They were both part of the original digi-destined, they got along wonderfully. They both played basketball.

What did he have in common with Iori? A big, fat nothing, that's what. They had nothing in common. They went to the same school, so did hundreds of students. They were digi-destined. So were Tai and Kari. It didn't mean anything. They didn't have classes together, they didn't play the same sports. Daisuke refused to wave a stick in the air and try to look threatening.

He sighed, turning his gaze to the window, watching as the trees waved in the wind, the leaves catching his gaze. Bright, lively green, his eyes. Brown bark, like his hair. The smile that had been pasted on his face most of the day wavered, and disappeared as he closed his eyes. He tried to remember the last time he'd felt so empty, so numb. Not after Ken, that was for certain. With Ken, he'd felt betrayed, cheated somehow. 

The bell rang, and he gathered up his books and notepad, stuffing his pen into a back pocket. Hikari touched his arm, but was jostled by another student, and lost her grip. He moved along the wall, avoiding the other students, staring at the ground in front of him. He had no interest in anything. He just wanted to survive the day, and go home, to stare at the wall in his room in peace and privacy.

He turned the corner, and inhaled sharply when a small form barreled into him from the side, trapping him against the wall. Brown eyes stared into green, and he smiled slightly, his eyes vaguely unfocused. "Hey, Codes."

"Daisuke?" The brunette looked slightly concerned as he gazed up at him, and he brought a pale hand up to touch his chest. Daisuke looked down at the hand that covered his heart, and looked at it for a moment before smiling.

"How are you?" He brought his hand up, and let it gently touch Iori's hair, watching as his fingers disappeared into the brown locks.

"I'm fine, but you're walking around like a zombie."

"It hurts less if I don't think." He replied without thinking, leaning back against the wall as he played with his hair. His eyes were focusing a little better, and he could read the hesitancy in Iori's eyes.

"What hurts less?" His voice was soft, but he didn't pull back from Daisuke's gentle touch. The redhead didn't answer, settling instead on touching the brunette's cheek with his fingertips. "Does this make it hurt less?"

"Yes." He smiled softly, then closed his eyes when Iori touched his face. The students rushed past them, hurrying to classes, but they seemed to have slipped to the edge of time, finding themselves alone in a little bubble as the world raced around them. He made a sound in his throat as the hall cleared. The bell rang, but they both ignored it. "It's better than the emptiness."

"I didn't want to be alone, Dai. I knew better, with Toshio, but I didn't want to be alone." Daisuke leaned down, and touched his forehead to the brunette's without opening his eyes. His fingers found the corner of his mouth, and he ran his thumb along Iori's bottom lip. 

"It hurts to be alone."

"Sometimes, it hurts anyway. I thought you wanted him, and that made it hurt worse. I hated being with him, at the same time that it was nice, because he was someone that cared."

"I care." A lot, he silently added. He opened his eyes. "You don't have to be alone."

"I had a long talk with TK yesterday, after the party. He didn't know what had happened, but he knew that we both left suddenly. He told me about Toshio, and the fact that you kept trying to stop him from hurting me. I'm sorry that I didn't notice. I was so wrapped up in my own problems that I ignored yours, and I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. That can be something we have in common. We both tend to dwell on ourselves." He smiled slightly, his eyes dark and half-closed. His gaze slid occassionally to Iori's lips, and then back up to his eyes.

"That's not true, Dai. You worry about everyone else, a lot more than I do." He paused, then smiled slightly. "I wanted to be with you, you know, but you kept withdrawing, and I didn't know how to reach you."

Daisuke stared at him for a moment, and then kissed him gently on the corner of his mouth, smiling when the hand on his chest gripped his shirt tightly. "You could always just hit me over the head."

"Are there any other options?" He smiled slightly.

"There are one or two others…" Iori reached up quickly, and kissed him, pressing their lips together with the clumsiness of inexperience. 

"Motomiya! You just never quit, do you?" They turned to look at the principal. "My office, the both of you!"

They looked at each other, and burst out laughing. They grabbed hands, and walked down the hall quickly, snickering as they went. Behind them, the harried principal smiled.


End file.
